Firestorm: Fireheart
by ArkansanDragon
Summary: Beta Reader found! I do NOT own American Dragon. Evil has returned... Part 3 of the Firestorm trilogy
1. Chapter 1 Lightning's Find

Fireheart

Sequel to Darkfire and Part III of Dragonfire

Story by ArkansanDragon

And once again: I do NOT own the show American Dragon: Jake Long or any of it's characters or any of it's episodes (though I will make references to them), that all belongs to Disney. I only own the characters I make up.

Don't forget: Wheeley and myself are doing a podcast to help save American Dragon and other good shows like it from an early dimise. But we still need the help of Voice Actors and Fanfic Authors. Anyone who wants to help should please go to www. savetheshows. com and send an e-mail from there to let my partner know. And Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast:) Also, please be sure to send the word along and let others know about this. The more people who know, the better :) Thank You and enjoy the story!

Chapter 1: Lightning's Find

Somewhere in the forests of Central Park...

Lightning looked out over the nighttime meadow. The half moon cast a silvery light that made his fur shimmer. The unicorn foal looked over at his mother, who was grazing nearby. Thinking that she wasn't looking, he started walking away. She didn't seem to notice. He started galloping. Her warning neigh stopped him cold.

_Don't wander off. _

He'd been caught. Lightning walked back to her slowly, with his head drooping.

_'Aw Mom,' _he said dejectedly, _why can't I go play?_

Moonbeam looked down at her son. _Lightning,_ _you_ _know you're supposed to stay close to me. You saw what happened to me when that rogue dragon attacked us. Do you want that dragon to get __**you**__ next?_

_I'm not scared of dragons. _He said boldly, puffing out his chest. _Just let him __**try**__ and come back! I'll show him a thing or two!_

Moonbeam nuzzled her foal playfully. _That's my little stallion. _Then she added firmly, _But you're still staying close to me._

_Awwww! _He whined, _But Mom-_

_No buts. _She said, _Now behave yourself, and no wandering off. _Then, she went back to grazing.

Soon, she had her back to him. Then, Lightning, thinking himself a very clever foal, slipped away from her and into the forest.

_Now I can have some fun, _he said to himself. Soon, the young unicorn was galloping off through the forest, bucking and rearing as he went. It wasn't long before he was dancing around, fighting off imaginary enemies.

_Ah-ha! Take that! And that! _He said, slashing his horn at an invisible foe (though it was really a tree sapling). After a few minutes of this, he stopped.

_Phew! _He panted, _All that fighting bad guys sure makes a guy thirsty. I bet there's a stream around here somewhere. _

He wandered around some more until he heard the sound of running water. Following the sound, he soon came to a river. What he saw next made him forget his thirst instantly.

There was something on the bank, lying half out of the shallows. Lightning crept toward it slowly. It was some sort of creature, lying on its side in the dirt, barely breathing.

He came closer and sniffed it. He could tell by the scent that it was female, half grown, and badly hurt. He sniffed again, careful not to touch it. It smelled like a dragon, but yet, not like a dragon. It had another smell that he hadn't learned yet, and it certainly didn't look like a dragon.

Gently, Lightning prodded it with his horn. A low groan came from it, but it didn't move.

He backed up to get a better look. The creature looked more like an elf then anything else, but its ears weren't pointed like an elf's, and it didn't smell like an elf either. It was dressed all in red, and its golden hair was tied back behind the head in a long braid. It was very pale and looked sick, and there were vicious slashes and bite marks all over it.

Lightning thought back to what his mother had taught him about the other creatures that lived around here, not that he'd ever payed much attention to it. But he was sure his mother had mentioned something like this before...

Then he remembered. His mother had once told him about creatures called humans. The non-magical beings that lived here, completely unaware of the magical community that surrounded them. Lightning looked down at the creature again. Could this be a human? He'd never seen one before, but his mother had told him that dragons could take human form. It was why they had been chosen as Guardians over the magical world, after the creatures had been forced into hiding.

_I'd better tell mom about this._ He thought, _She'll know what to do._...

Moonbeam looked up from her grazing, then dropped the mouthful of grass she'd been eating. Lightning was gone! She looked around, frantic. Then she saw him galloping out of the forest.

_Lightning! _She said as he halted in front of her. _Where have you been?! Don't you __**ever **__run off like that again! What have you got to say for yourself?!_

_Mom! Come see what I found by the river!_ He said excitedly. And before she could stop him, he turned tail and ran back into the forest.

Moonbeam sighed. Lightning was a good foal, but his curiosity and adventurism often led to trouble. Shaking her head, and wondering what on Earth he could've found this time, the young mare followed him...

When they reached the river, Moonbeam stopped, stunned by what she saw. _Lightning! _She called, _Get away from there!_

_But why, Mom? _Asked Lightning, standing beside the creature. _What is this thing?_

_That's a human!_ She cried, placing herself between the girl and her son. _And not just any human. __**This**__ is one of the Huntsclan._

_A Hunter?_ Asked Lightning, _But I thought they were all dead. Besides, she smells more like a dragon. _Then a thought came to him. _Do you think this could be that Huntsgirl-Dragon we've been hearing about?_

_I don't know._ Said Moonbeam, _But I think we should leave now. _She started nudging her son back toward the meadow.

_Wait! _He cried, _We can't just leave her here! She'll die if we don't do something!_

Moonbeam stopped, looking down at her son.He met her gaze. _Please._

The unicorn sighed. _Alright._ She said.

She slowly went over to the girl and nudged her. The human stirred slightly, then slowly raised her head. Her deep blue eyes were bright with fever as she looked at the unicorn.

_There's something familiar about those eyes. _Thought Moonbeam. She bent closer and sniffed at the human. The girl scrambled back, staring at Moonbeam with fear in her eyes.

_It's alright. _Said the unicorn, coming closer. _I'm not gonna hurt you. _

She didn't think the girl could understand her. Humans rarely understood any creature that didn't speak their language. But she did hope this one would at least see that they were trying to help her.

Then she recognized the girl's scent. It was the same as that female dragon she'd met the night of the attack.

_It's __**you.**_ Said Moonbeam. Then she turned towards her son. _Lightning, come here and help me. _Lightning came over to them, as his mother bent closer to the girl.

Huntsgirl, Moonbeam was sure it was her, stared at the unicorn. She seemed too scared to move. Moonbeam nickered softly, nudging her again. This time, Huntsgirl seemed to get the message. She reached out her hand and stroked the unicorn's head. _That's right. _Said Moonbeam, _We just want to help you. _She lay down with her side facing the girl and looked at her. Huntsgirl didn't seem to understand.

Moonbeam gently gripped the girl's arm in her teeth and tugged slightly, then tossed her head to look first at her back, then at the girl. Huntsgirl seemed to get it this time. She tried to push herself up, but was too weak to do even that. Moonbeam turned to her son and said, _Lightning, see if you can help her up. I need to get her on my back._

Lightning went over and braced his side against Huntsgirl's as she tried to rise again. This time, she was able to pull herself onto the mare's back. With the last of her strength, she pulled herself up, so that she was sitting astride the unicorn. Then, twining her hands in the silky mane, she lay her head against its neck, before passing out again.

Moonbeam got up slowly. She knew that if Huntsgirl fell from her back now, she would be too weak to get back on. Lightning looked up at his mother. _So now what do we do with her?_ He asked.

_We're taking her to Luna._ Said Moonbeam. _She'll be able to help._ And with that, they made their way back through the forest...

Luna and Starchaser had stopped in a glade to rest after their nightly walk together. Suddenly, Starchaser pricked up his ears, listening. "What is it?" asked Luna.

_Hoof beats._ He answered. They turned toward the sound, and saw Starchaser's mate, Moonbeam and their son Lightning coming toward them. That's when Luna saw the girl on Moonbeam's back. The girl fell to the ground as Luna rushed forward.

"What happened?!" she asked, stopping to check on the human."Where did you find this girl, and why did you bring her here?" She felt the girl's neck for a pulse. It was there, weak but steady.

_I found her by the river! _Said Lightning proudly.

"But why did you bring a human here?!" asked Luna. Starchaser came up to them and sniffed at the unconscious girl.

_This is no human. _He said, _I can tell by her scent._ _She has dragon's blood in her._

_Yeah! _Said Lightning, _This is the Huntsgirl-Dragon! But she's been hurt bad by somethin', and she's sick too._

"Starchaser," said Luna, "can you help me with her? My camp isn't too far from here." Starchaser lay down, and Luna placed the girl on his back. He stood up, and together they headed for the camp...


	2. Chapter 2 Dragon's Grief

Fireheart

Chapter 2: Dragon's Grief

The Dark Dragon stood before them in the moonlight. He stared down at Jake, as Chang fit a muzzle over the young dragon's head. Jake struggled against her, but she struck the side of his head, leaving him dazed. When it was secure, Jake found that he couldn't open his mouth wide enough to breathe fire. He could still speak however.

"Well look who's back." he said, glaring up at the black dragon. "And you're still as ugly as ever."

"You would do well to mind that tongue of your's;" growled Chang, "before you end up losing it."

"Come now," said the Dark Dragon to her, "Is that any way to treat a guest?" He smiled cruelly at Jake. Jake said nothing, staring back into his cold eyes. Then, the Dark Dragon came forward, seized Jake by the scruff of his neck, and dragged him into one of the nearby warehouses.

After Jake had been thrown into a corner, Chang came up to him.

"It won't do you any good trying to call for help." she said, looking down at Jake. "This entire room has been magically sound proofed. And don't think returning to human form will help you either, as you'll find you won't be able to. Those chains have been specially enchanted to prevent that." She smiled, admiring her work, then turned to face the Dark Dragon.

"Master," asked Chang, "I'm afraid I still don't understand. Why don't we just slay him now and be done with it?"

"Patience." said the Dark Dragon, "My plan requires timing in order to work. Besides," he looked down at Jake, "I need him alive for what I have mind."

"So what are you gonna do with me?" asked Jake, glaring up him.

The black dragon smiled cruelly. "You will know soon enough." he said.

"You'll never get away with this." said Jake, "When Rose and the others find me-" But the Dark Dragon's laughter cut him short. Jake stared at him. "What's so funny?" he asked.

The Dark Dragon's smile widened. "They won't find you." he said slyly.

"Rose will!" said Jake fiercely, "She won't stop looking for me!"

The older dragon seemed confused for a moment, as though he were trying to remember something.

"Rose? Rose... oh yes... the Huntsgirl. Yes... that was unfortunate..." he looked down at Jake again, "She would have been a good mate for you. Such a pity..."

"What are you talking about?!" snarled Jake.

"That's right...You don't remember, do you?" asked the Dark Dragon. "She's dead."

"What? No!"

"Oh yes..." he said, "And by your claw no less..."

"No! _You're lying!_ " roared Jake.

The black dragon stared hard into Jake's eyes. _"Am I?"_

As he met that gaze, Jake felt a cold, numbing dread stealing over him...

"No... it can't be... Not Rose... " As grief overcame his shock, the young dragon bowed his head in defeat. "You might as well slay me now." he said in despair, "What good is my life without Rose?" The Dark Dragon put a talon under his chin, turning Jake's face upward so that their eyes met.

"No." he said, "I'm not going to slay you. To kill you now would be doing you a favor. I'm going to let you live with your guilt."

The older dragon then turned to face Chang. "Keep an eye on him." he said, "I will return for you both tomorrow night. But for now, I have other business to attend to."

"Master?" asked Chang, "What _are_ you planning to do with the boy?"

He smiled slyly and said, "All in good time, my loyal servant. For now, all that you need to know, is that it will take place tomorrow night."...

The next day...

_Splash! _Jake sat bolt upright, as the ice cold water hit him, then he fell over again. He looked around, coughing and sputtering, then saw Chang with a bucket in her claws.

"You're awake." she said, "Good."

Jake just lay there, shivering and glaring at her. Then he said, "You got a towel anywhere?"

Chang glared at him, "You should be grateful I didn't drown you." she growled.

"Well," said Jake, "Is it too much to ask for some food around here?"

Chang thought for a moment. "I suppose won't do for you to starve before my Master can make use of you."

She left him then, and came back a minutes later with a loaf of bread.

"Where'd you get that?" asked Jake.

"I took it off of someone's window sill." she said. She put the loaf down at his feet. Then, crouched in front of him and started to loosen the muzzle.

Jake let his eyes wander while he waited, anything to keep from looking at Chang. He could see that the door was locked, and the windows were boarded up. There would be no getting out those ways. Then he caught sight of something hanging from the ceiling. They were rows of fire sprinklers, and fire sprinklers meant fire alarms...

Chang caught his stare, then saw what he was looking at. She smiled at him slyly and said, "A clever idea, American Dragon. Pity for you it won't work. I made sure those alarms were disabled while you slept." Seeing the look on his face, she added, "I also took the liberty of placing fire proof spells on this building. Just in case you got any ideas. You won't be able to send any smoke signals from here."

Jake glared daggers at her, as she pulled the muzzle off. He yawned, then asked, "How long was I asleep anyway?"

"Half a day." said Chang, "It's past noon now."

Jake felt panic start to rise within him. _Half a day?! _He thought, _And the Dark Dragon comes back tonight! I gotta find a way out of here!_ But even as he thought this, one glance around the room squashed the idea. There was no way he was getting out before nightfall.

To buy himself time to think, Jake started tending to the scratches and bite marks in his hide. He spat fire on the cuts to clean them and seal the wounds. It hurt, but it was better then letting them get infected. Besides, the heat from the flames dried his scales and took away the chill the water had left. Chang watched him, looking on in silence. Even though he tried to hide it, she could tell that he was worried. He had good reason to be.

By the time Jake had finished nursing his injuries, he had come up with a plan to escape. He would wait until the Dark Dragon returned. Then, once they got him outside; roast the Dark Dragon and Chang and yell as loud as he could until the others came for him. It wasn't a very good plan, he knew, but it was better then nothing. By now, his hunger was getting the better of him. He started eyeing the bread that Chang had left.

She followed his gaze and said, "If you're going to eat that, then do so. I didn't get it just to be kind to you."

"How do you expect me to eat, when you've got me chained up over here?" asked Jake.

"I'm sure you'll think of something." said Chang, smugly. She seemed to be enjoying his discomfort.

The loaf of bread was just out of reach for his claws, and lying on his side like he was, he was in the wrong position to get his tail around it. After shuffling around a bit, which didn't help at all; Jake took a minute to catch his breath. Then, he had an idea. Lining his head up with the food, he shot his tongue out, and finally snagged the meal.

Chang watched him closely as he ate. He was too hungry to notice the sly smile that crept across her face.

Jake was halfway through the loaf, when he noticed something strange happening. His eyelids started getting heavy, then he felt himself going limp. He felt tired and lightheaded, and a strange numbness was spreading through him.

Chang's smile widened. "I see that sleeping potion is finally taking effect." she said, looking down at him.

"Sleeping potion?..." Jake said thickly, "What... are you talking about?..."

Chang laughed at this. "I spiked that bread with a powerful sleeping draft, just in case you had any ideas of trying to escape when my master returns." She leaned closer to him and said, "Oh, and just so you know, he should be here within the hour."

Jake struggled to keep his eyes open, but the potion was already taking effect. Chang laughed again, as his eyesight started to dim... It was the last thing he knew...

...............................................................

"Wake up, American Dragon." said a voice, "We wouldn't want you to sleep through this..."

Jake slowly opened his eyes, then wished he hadn't. The Dark Dragon was standing over him. It was his voice that had spoken.

As the feeling returned to his chained limbs, Jake began to notice intense heat all around him. The light of the half moon was shining through a crack in a stone wall above and behind the larger dragon's head. Jake twisted his neck around, trying to see more of where he was. He saw a circular chamber made of rock, with a high domed ceiling. A faint orange glow all around them was what lit the chamber. He, the Dark Dragon and Chang, were on a raised circular platform in the middle of it. There were other chambers that branched off from this one. Then he saw where the glow and heat were coming from. _Magma. _Rivers of molten magma flowed all around the platform they were on. They were inside a volcano.

_Not just any volcano, _Jake realized, _This is a volcano on the Isle of Draco! _It was in this very chamber that Jake had first fought the Dark Dragon, after coming to rescue Fred Nerk, the Australian Dragon; whom he'd been racing against for his Test of Courage in Flight.

"Look familiar?" asked Chang, seeing the look of shock on his face. "Yes... we thought you might remember this place. And we have another reason for bringing you here."

The Dark Dragon looked down at Jake as he said, "There is a concentration of powerful dark magic that flows here... The very place were I became the Dark Dragon..." For a moment, he seemed lost in memories. Then, looking back at Jake, he said, "But here I am reliving history, when we have work to do."

As midnight drew near, the Dark Dragon began chanting in a strange language, while scratching symbols in a large circle in the center of the platform. Then, the moon cast a silvery light upon the circle. A smile crossed the his face as he said, "It is time." As the moonlight touched the symbols, A pool of darkness bubbled up from the circle. Tendrils sprouted upward from the pool, writhing and twisting in the moon's glow.

The Dark Dragon turned back to Jake, and the young dragon looked up at him with fear in his eyes. "What- what are you gonna do to me?" asked Jake, trying to keep his voice from shaking. He knew that whatever this evil dragon planned for him, it wasn't good.

"Calm yourself." said the Dark Dragon, "It will all be over soon." His voice might have actually been soothing, if Jake hadn't caught the evil intention within it. Then, the black dragon undid the chains that bound him; but before Jake could move, the larger dragon seized him by the scruff of his neck, lifting the young dragon off his feet. Jake hung limp as a kitten from the big dragon's claw. The Dark Dragon stared deep into Jake's frightened eyes, then, threw him into the pool!

Jake struggled wildly, frantic to escape. But it was no use. The tendrils coiled around his limbs, lifting him above the pool as more darkness surged upward, piercing into his very heart. The young dragon still struggled, writhing to break free, roaring in agony and terror.

"It is useless trying to fight it." said the Dark Dragon, "No one can resist the dark magic's power."

It seemed he was right. After a few more moments, Jake's struggles ceased. He hung limp as the darkness entered him. Finally, as the moonlight faded, the pool disappeared, sinking back into the circle from whence it came. The young dragon fell to the ground as he was released.

"Now," said the Dark Dragon, coming towards him, "rise, and join me." The red dragon slowly got to his feet, looking down at himself.

"I've never felt so much power." he said. He looked up, staring at the other dragon with fierce, burning eyes.

"And you shall have even greater power, as my apprentice." the Dark Dragon said, "But first, you must prove your loyalty to me by completing one simple task..."

The young dragon smiled at this, "What did you have in mind?"...

Three days later...

The Chinese Dragon flew out over the nighttime city. The pale light of the crescent moon rippling off his dark blue scales. For two nights now, he had been searching. Searching, for what he knew in his heart could not be found. Yet here he was again, searching still.

Loa Shi landed on a nearby rooftop, and looked out over the city. The old dragon thought back to that fateful night. The night that Rose had fallen from the sky over Central Park...

The others were heartbroken by the news of what he'd seen. Rose's mother had wept all that night from grief; as had the others, though they tried to comfort her. But for Loa Shi, his grief was beyond tears. He had not only lost his grandson for a second time, but Rose as well.

That night, he climbed the ladder to the rooftop. As the moon glowed red from a rare eclipse, the old dragon lifted his voice in song. It was an ancient song that only he knew, and though it had no words, its meaning was all too clear. And all who heard it bowed their heads in sorrow. Yet there was a strange comfort in that music. Though no one knew why, it seemed to ease the pain they felt, for the loss of Jake and Rose.

Loa Shi sang all through the night, until the first rays of dawn peeked over skyline. When the song was finished, he shut himself away from the others, refusing to even speak to them. All that day, he lay on his bed in dragon form, grieving. They tried to coax him out with food, but the old dragon wouldn't touch it.

It was Spud who finally got him to come out. Spud, Trixie, and Fu Dog tried to talk some sense into him (88 and 89 had given up already). They tried to convince Loa Shi that it wasn't his fault, but nothing worked. Finally, Spud was fed up with the old dragon. He started taunting Loa Shi, trying to anger him out of his depression.

"You're just gonna lie there all day?! And you call yourself a Dragon Master?! You're no Dragon Master! You're not a dragon! You're just a- a big ugly lizard! No, wait, you're not even a lizard!" But the insults fell on deaf ears, until, "You're nothin' but an overgrown salamander!!!"

That did it.

Roaring in fury, the Chinese Dragon pinned Spud to the floor; his claw at the boy's throat, eyes blazing and teeth bared in an angry snarl.

Calling a dragon "salamander" was like calling them "Weakling", "Slimy", "Coward", and "Hatchling" all at once.

No one _**ever**_ called a dragon "salamander"- and lived.

Fortunately, the old dragon regained his senses before anything worse happened. He released Spud and apologized. It was then that Fu Dog told Spud and Trixie about the danger of calling a dragon by that name, and they both promised to never do it again.

After that incident, both families decided to go out and search the Park for any sign of Jake or Rose. None of them were sure why they searched, or what they hoped to find, but it gave them something to focus on, since nothing else was working. And so for two long nights they went out searching, but to no avail... By the third night, the others had given up. Now Loa Shi was the only one still searching, but not even he knew why.

Loa Shi was pulled away from these thoughts by movement out of the corner of his eye. Overhead, a pair of shooting stars streaked across the midnight sky. The sight of them made the old dragon smile in spite of himself. And in his heart, he felt the faintest glimmer of something he'd never expected... Hope...

* * *

The first American Dragon Jake Long podcast aired last night! (Also, we're still in need of voice actors if anyone wants to audition.) Head to www. savetheshows. com to check it out (and to audition/ or submit anything to help with the savetheshows movement, btw, we also need oneshots for the podcast)! Also: the first long-running podcast we'll be doing, is Dragonfire!


	3. Chapter 3 Problems and Pranks

Fireheart

Chapter 3: Problems and Pranks

Luna looked down at the sleeping girl before her. For the past few days, Luna and her unicorn friends had been taking care of this stranger, in the small cave that served as her camp site.

Though Luna was unsure of it, Starchaser insisted that the girl was a dragon, or at least, half dragon; and he was rarely wrong about such things.

She was sick with fever and infection. And, although Luna was able to cure the sickness and ease the pain of her wounds; there was nothing that she or the unicorns could do, to drive away the constant nightmares that plagued the poor girl.

Huntsgirl hadn't woken yet, but from the cries she made as the dreams assaulted her, Luna tried to make out what was going on in her mind. She kept crying out for someone called Jake, and trying to warn someone else of a great danger. From what Luna and the unicorns could make out, something terrible had happened to Jake, and Huntsgirl had to warn someone about it...

_Rose was flying over the nighttime city. The dragon was close behind her... She flapped her wings frantically, desperate to put some distance between them... but again he caught up with her. Rose flapped harder, her wings straining, the dragon's hot breath on the back of her neck... Soon he would catch her, and then, it would all be over... She dove, trying to shake him off, twisting and turning, rolling and looping. She looked back. He wasn't there... Suddenly, pain tore across her chest as his talons slashed it, streaking upward in front of her! She felt herself falling... She was on the griffin's back once more, as he tried to dodge the black dragon's attacks. Suddenly the dragon broke off his attacks, spiraling upward until he was out of sight..._

_Rose felt an ice cold dread seeping through her. She knew what was coming, knew there was nothing she could do to prevent it... The dragon dove... down, down, faster then lightning, he struck! Rose felt herself torn from griffin's back, falling helpless toward the river below... She looked up, staring into his cold, yellow eyes, his cruel laughter ringing in her ears as she fell..._

_Only one thing could save her now. In a last desperate effort she cried out,_

"Dragon Up!"

Luna jumped back as white fire raced over the girl before her. When the flames had vanished, a white dragon lay where the girl had been. A cry of pain came from the dragon's throat, and she fell back against the pallet, gasping for breath.

Luna looked down at her with amazement, "She really is a dragon!"

_Told you so. _said Lightning. Moonbeam glared at her son, but said nothing.

Luna bent closer to the dragon. "You're the one who helped me, aren't you?" she whispered.

The dragon's eyes opened. They were deep, ocean blue eyes, but dull with sickness and clouded by pain. Those eyes were fixed on Luna. And try as she might, the young elf couldn't look away from them...

Suddenly, the dragon lunged, seizing the elf by the wrist! Luna jerked back, but dragon didn't release her. Starchaser came forward, his horn lowered, but Luna held up her other hand to stop him. The unicorn stopped, but stayed where he was.

Luna looked back at Huntsgirl. Her eyes were wide and frighted, pleading. Then she spoke, "Please... you have to help me... find Lao Shi! You have to warn him!"

"What?" asked Luna, "What do you mean? Who's Lao Shi?"

"You have to warn him... Jake... tell him, what happened to Jake..."

"I don't understand." said Luna, "What are you talking about? Who's Jake, and what happened?"

Rose clutched the girl's arm tighter, sinking her claws in, she could feel the darkness pulling at her mind again... She had to make this elf understand the danger before it was too late...

Luna gasped in pain, as the dragon's claws bit into her arm, but she didn't try to remove them. Huntsgirl seemed on the verge of panic and was clearly desperate to tell her something.

"Jake..." she was gasping now, eyes wide with panic. "American Dragon... Jake Long... warn Lao Shi! Jake... The Dark Dragon..."

"What?! But the Dark Dragon's dead!" cried Luna

"No!" gasped Huntsgirl, "He still lives! Jake... He's possessed Jake! You have to warn his Dragon Master, Lao Shi! Find Lao Shi... Warn him... The Dark Dragon... Jake..."

Rose felt herself fading... Her eyes glazed over, and she released the young elf, slumping back against the pallet, as darkness claimed her again...

Luna stared down at Huntsgirl, as she returned to human form.

_Do you think she's dead? _Asked Lightning. He crept forward to poke the girl with his horn, but Moonbeam gripped his mane in her teeth and held him back.

Starchaser looked down at Huntsgirl. _She's alive, but unconscious. _Then he looked at the claw marks on Luna's arm. _Those will need tending to. _He said.

"I know." said Luna, getting her first aid kit; "But, what did she mean? What _was_ all that?"

_It has something to do with the American Dragon. _Said Moonbeam, letting go of her son. _The American Dragon, and the Dark Dragon..._

_Yes. _Said Starchaser, _It would seem that this "Jake" is the American Dragon. If that is so, then we are all in grave danger._

"Then what do we do?" asked Luna, as she bandaged the scratches on her wrist. "Huntsgirl wanted us to warn that Dragon Master, Lao Shi."

_Then we should do so. _Said Starchaser.

_But how? _Asked Lightning, _We don't know where to find him._

"Then we'll have to wait until Huntsgirl wakes up." said Luna...

Meanwhile, back at Lao Shi's shop...

"Things have gotten kinda dull around here, don't ya think?" asked 89.

"You got that right." said 88.

Ever since the news of Jake and Rose's deaths, things had gone from bad to worse. After the families had given up the search, they had all tried to move on with their lives. But it just wasn't the same. They were all depressed, and the shop seemed more empty then usual. Right now, Spud and Trixie were cleaning up the back room, where Lao Shi was studying some ancient scrolls, Fu Dog was listening to "Who Let the Dogs Out" (by the Baha Men) on his MP3 player, and 88 and 89 were sitting in the main part of the shop, trying to relieve their boredom by throwing cards into a hat.

"Hey! I just thought of something!" said 89.

"You? Thinkin'?!" asked 88.

89 glared at him, then continued, "You know how this place has been all "gloom-n-doom" lately?"

"Yeah..." said 88 "what about it?"

89 smiled slyly and said, "What do you say we lighten the mood a little?" He winked at his shorter friend.

"Yeah..."said 88 catching on. "What'd ya have in mind?"

89 pulled his friend closer. "Remember the good old days back at the Huntsclan Academy? Dragon Slaying 101, Watchin' some poor sucker get thrown to the kraken for failing a test... playing pranks on the other warriors...?" He winked at this last part.

88 chuckled evilly, "Oh I remember all right. There was that time we stuck itching powder in the shampoo bottles, then there was that frog we let loose in the girls dorm..."

"Yeah..." said 89 with a dreamy look in his eyes, "And then all the girls chased us up the flag pole, and then we got thrown to the kraken again. Good times..."

88 grinned at him, "So who'd ya wanna get first?"

"Well," said 89, "how about... Spud and Trixie."

"Yeah, I like the sound of that." said 88, "So what're we gonna hit 'em with?"

"I've got just the thing..."

An hour or so later...

"Heh heh, this'll get 'em good." said 89 as he and 88 hid behind a nearby bookshelf. They were watching the door to back room, over which, they'd just balanced a bucket of tar and feathers... Then, they heard footsteps coming toward them...

"What are you two up to?"

88 looked behind them and saw Spud, Trixie and Fu Dog standing there. "Oh hey guys," he said, then he did a double take and looked at them with wide eyes...

"Wait a minute!" said 89, "if you guys are here, then who- ?"

Just then, they heard a crash and a piercing yelp! The five of them looked around the bookshelf to see Lao Shi standing there. The old man was carrying a broom, and was covered head to foot in tar and feathers, but the look on his face wasn't the least bit funny...

"Uh-oh." said Fu.

"Oooooh, you two sure done it this time."said Trixie.

"You know,"said Spud, looking at the young hunters, "I don't know about you guys, but personally, I'd be running for my life and screaming in terror right about now."

The two hunters looked at each other, then at Lao Shi. The old man was shaking with rage, glaring at them with daggers in his eyes.

"You know, I think he might have a point there." said 89.

Lao Shi tightened his grip on the broom handle, taking a step towards them.

"Dra- dra- Angry Dragon!!!"

"Aaaaahhhhh!!! Momma! Momma! Momma!"

Fu Dog pulled a camcorder out of his wrinkles and started filming. What he got was an angry old Chinese man covered in feathers, chasing two terrified boys who weren't much taller then he was, and trying to whack them over the head with a broom! Spud and Trixie were forced to cover their ears, as the shop was now filled with the sound of Lao Shi screeching in Chinese, punctuated with the occasional yelp of pain as his broom found it's mark.

* * *

I'm really sorry that this took so long to post, but I had a huge case of writer's block! Anyway, let me know what you think of it and I'll try to have the next chapter out soon. :) In ADJL Podcast news: We now have all characters cast for the podcast except for Chang, and the understudies (backup actors). So it should be safe to say that we should have the first episode of Dragonfire out in about 2 or 3 weeks. Sorry to keep you waiting, but please try to wait just a little bit longer... Thank You. 


	4. Chapter 4 Powerplay

Fireheart

Chapter 4: Powerplay

In an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the city, the Dark Dragon watched his new apprentice sparring with the shades. The young dragon's skills and strength had been improving daily, and the Dark Dragon seemed pleased with the progress. One of the shades jumped Jake from behind. The young red threw it off, destroying it with a swipe of his claw, but for every shade he destroyed, another appeared to take its place. Though Jake was fighting hard and winning for the most part, the other dragon could tell that the boy was exhausted.

By now, the shades had formed a ring, with Jake in the center. They parted as the black dragon approached him.

"You have done well." he said. The younger dragon looked up at him, panting heavily, he sides heaving.

"Is that... all you got..." he gasped, "Don't have anything challenging for me?"

The Dark Dragon smiled at this. "So, my shades aren't enough for you?" He chuckled at the thought. "Perhaps you would prefer to fight me instead?"

Jake's eyes seemed to burn with eagerness. "Bring it."

The older dragon laughed at this. "You're still as amusing as ever. Now... Defend yourself!"

He lunged at Jake! Jake dodged him and attacked, but the Dark Dragon parried his blows!

They kept circling each other, slashing and dodging, until finally, the larger dragon's claw struck Jake as he tried to dodge an attack. The blow caught the young dragon in the jaw, sending him sprawling to the floor where he lay breathless...

"Good." growled the Dark Dragon softly. "Well done. But now you should rest and recover your strength."

Jake was too out of breath to speak, but he glared defiantly up at the older dragon.

The evil dragon met his gaze. "Do not forget the task I set you." he said, "It will require all of your strength and skill to complete. Now, sleep..."

In spite of himself, Jake felt his eyelids grow heavy, in another few moments, he was fast asleep...

Chang came up to them, looking down at the sleeping dragon, at the black star that was still burned into his golden chest.

She turned to the Dark Dragon. "Master, are you sure this was a good idea? Was it wise to give him so much power?"

The Dark Dragon turned to face her, looking straight into her eyes. "You question my judgement?"

"I- No my lord! Of course not!"

"Do not lie to me, Chang. You know I can always tell..."

She lowered her gaze. "Forgive me, Master, it's just that... You offer the boy so much, what if he turns against you?"

"Ah... have no fear of that, my loyal servant. Do you see that star shaped burn I left on him?"

She nodded, still looking puzzled.

"That spell allowed me to possess Jake Long for short amounts of time while I was trapped in that dimension, but it also serves another purpose. Now that I have returned to mortal realm, the mark binds him to me."

Chang still looked confused. The Dark Dragon explained, "As long as he bears that mark, his strength is added to mine. The stronger he becomes, the more power I gain."

He chuckled darkly at the look on Chang's face. "So you see, no matter how powerful the boy becomes, I will always have greater power. And soon, with Jake at my side, I shall have enough power to make me, ha ha ha ha ha ha, Invincible... Ha ha ha ha ha..."...

Meanwhile...

Rose slowly opened her eyes, to see the elf and her unicorn friend looking down at her.

"Good to see you're finally awake." said the elf, smiling at her.

Rose gave a weak smile, "Yeah, good to be back." She looked at the elf. "It's Luna, isn't it?"

"That's right." said Luna, "Glad to see you remember me, Rose."

Rose tried to get up, but a pain in her shoulder made her fall back. "Yeah..." said Luna, seeing the look on her face. "You hurt your shoulder pretty badly. I'm not sure what you did to it, but you won't be flying for at least a week, maybe two."

"But I have to get out of here." said Rose, "I have to find Lao Shi and tell him what happened."

"But who **is **Lao Shi?!" asked Luna, "And what did happen to you?"

So Rose told her everything, from her first encounters with Jake, to what happened at homecoming, and everything that had happened after that...

"Wow... So then? It's all true?!" Asked Luna when Rose had finished.

"What?" asked Rose.

"All the rumors we've been hearing. They're all over the place. Rumors about you and the American Dragon, that you two found out each other's secret identities, that you fell **in** **love **with each other, that you secretly betrayed the Huntsclan to help the dragons defeat them, right under the Huntsmaster's nose! And then there's that story about the Huntsmaster finding out what you did and that he blackmailed you into betraying the American Dragon, and then you turn around and betrayed the Huntsmaster and destroyed the Huntsclan with the Aztec Crystal Skulls! And then, of course, let's not forget the more recent stories about the American Dragon making his wish with the skulls and you losing your memories and disappearing because of it. Then there's all those stories going around about the Dark Dragon coming back, and you having dragon powers and trapping him in another dimension or something like that."

"Wow." said Rose, "I had no idea so many people knew about all that... How did they all find out?"

"Who knows how any of these things get started." answered Luna.

Rose looked at the young elf sitting in front of her. "Looks like we saved each others lives. I guess that makes us even. How did you find me anyway?"

"Lightning found you, and his mother, Moonbeam, brought you here." said Luna, pointing to the unicorn mare and her foal. The proud white stallion came up beside them. Rose recognized him as Starchaser.

"You know, Lightning looks just like Starchaser." said Rose.

"Don't be surprised." said Luna, "Lightning is Starchaser's son."

Rose thought for a minute, then asked, "How do you know them so well?"

"Well..." said Luna, "I guess I'm what you'd call, a horse whisperer, except it's with unicorns, along with other creatures that most people can't understand,. You know, griffins, phoenixes, pegasi, those sort of creatures..." she paused for a moment, then continued, "My parents are researchers, they've been studying the unicorn herd that lives here, along with trying to find more uses for unicorn horn."

"You mean they actually-"

"Huh? Oh! No, nothing like that. Unicorns shed their horns, then we just have to find them."

"So, what are doing out here by yourself?" asked Rose.

"Well, we camp out here every year to check on the herd. But my mom caught the flu this year, and my dad stayed to look after her, so, I came by myself."

Starchaser's neigh caught their attention. "What did he say?" asked Rose.

"He says you should get out of bed." said Luna. "And he's right. You should be strong enough to travel now, and if we're going to find Lao Shi, we'd better get a move on."

She helped Rose to her feet, and they both exited the cave. Lightning came up to them and started dancing around Rose, trying to get her to play. Rose couldn't help be laugh at the young foal as he bucked and reared, coming toward her then racing away again. Rose turned back to Luna. "But, how will we get there in time? I can't fly, and it'll take too long to walk."

The young elf smiled, "Ever ride a unicorn before?"

"Uh... no..." said Rose, "why?"

Her smile broadened as Starchaser come up to them, and Luna climbed on to his back. She held out a hand to Rose.

"Are you sure about this?" asked Rose.

"Don't worry." said Luna, "It's just like riding a bike. If you fall off, just get right back on."

"Ok..." Rose took the elf's hand, and got up behind her.

"Nice and easy Starchaser." said Luna. The unicorn nodded, then set off at a slow trot through the forest...

* * *


	5. Chapter 5 Lost and Found

Fireheart

Chapter 5: Lost and Found

88 and 89 sat in the doorway, rubbing their sore heads. After Lao Shi's attack with the broom, he'd made them scrub the spot with toothbrushes to get the tar out of the floorboards. Spud and Trixie were currently in the back room playing "Go Fish" with Fu Dog. Meanwhile, Lao Shi was in the bathroom, still trying to get the tar and feathers off. When he finally came out, the old man's face and hands looked slightly blistered, and some feathers were still sticking to his hair and robe. The dragon master glared at 88 and 89 as he passed them. The two boys cowered under his glaze, then went back to scrubbing.

"Yo Gramps." said Trixie, "You gonna be al- ewwww..." The other two looked up and saw Lao Shi. All three of them winced.

"That looks like it hurts." said Spud, pointing to the blisters on the old man's face.

"Do not worry young ones." said Lao Shi, "Fortunately, the tar they used had cooled down a bit before it hit me." He looked at the cards they were holding. "So, who's winning?"

Fu and Trixie looked over at Spud.

"Hee hee hee, Nobody's gonna win this game!"

They all turned, to see the Oracle Twins standing in the doorway.

"Hi Kara, hi Sara." said Spud "What brings you lovely ladies here?"

"Kara and I just had a vision!" said Sara, "And it's about Rose!"

"What?!" yelled Trixie, Spud and Fu Dog.

Lao Shi stared at the twins in shock. "Rose... alive? But how?"

"We don't know." said Kara, "All we know is, she's alive, and looking for you."

"Looking for me?" asked Lao Shi, "Please, you must tell us quickly, what visions have you seen?"

Kara closed her eyes for a moment. "I see Rose, and an elf, riding a unicorn."

"Oooh! Then they're gonna get chased by something!" blurted Sara.

"Something?!" asked Lao Shi, "What something?!"

"I have no idea!" said Sara, still sounding perky, "But doesn't it sound exciting?!"

88 and 89 came over to the others. "Uh... Are they always like this?" whispered 89.

"Yeah." answered Spud, "You get used to it. Either that or end up in a therapeutic hospital for the mentally unstable."

Lao Shi glared at them, but said nothing. He turned back to the Oracle Twins. "Do you know where Rose is?"

"Kara closed her eyes again. "I see them surrounded by trees."

"And?" asked Trixie.

"That's it." said Kara.

"Sounds to me like they're in some kind of forest." said Fu.

"Thank you, captain obvious." said Trixie, "But the question is, is it in a park, or outside the city?"

"Rose was over Central Park when she was struck down. That is were I will search first." said Loa Shi.

"We're goin' with you." said Trixie, "In case ya' need some back up."

"You and the others will stay here." The Dragon Master said sternly. Trixie opened her mouth to argue, but then she saw the look on the old man's face. He looked ragged, and there was a deep sadness his eyes. No words were spoken, for none were needed. They knew all too well how Lao Shi felt about what had happened to Jake and Rose...

After what seemed like ages, Trixie finally said, "Maybe, we should stay here, in case anybody else drops by."

Spud stared at her. "Huh? But I thought- Ow!" He winced as she dug an elbow into his ribs.

Lao Shi looked gratefully at her, then went up the stairs to the rooftop. A few moments later, a Chinese Dragon soared out over the city...

"Luna, can we stop for a minute? I need to get off." Luna pulled on the unicorn's mane, and Starchaser stopped. Rose slid off his back, leaning against the stallion's flank for support. Luna slid off as well, and Rose turned to look at her. "How can you stand riding bareback like that?" asked Rose, "Didn't you ever think of using a saddle?"

"Saddle? On a unicorn? I don't think so." said Luna, "The last guy that tried that... well, let's just say he still isn't out of the hospital yet..."

Rose opened her mouth to reply.

A twig snapped.

Both girls whirled around, staring into the trees.

"Well, well, well..." said a voice in the trees... Chang stepped forward out of the shadows... "I go out for a nice flight, and look what I've found..." She didn't seem surprised to see Rose standing there. "Huntsgirl... So, you survived my master's attack. Pity, looks like I'll have to finish you myself!" As she spoke, shades suddenly appeared all around them!

Without thinking, Rose leapt onto Starchaser's back, pulled Luna up behind her, and kicked the unicorn into a gallop! Starchaser lunged forward, plowing right through the shades and onward into the forest.

"After them!" cried Chang, dragoning up and taking off after the fleeing stallion.

"Rose, where are we going?!" cried Luna, it was all she could do just to hold on to Rose as the unicorn tore through the undergrowth.

"Anywhere but here!" yelled Rose. She tried to urge the unicorn onward, as shades raced along either side of them. A fireball exploded in front of them, knocking a flaming tree into their path! Starchaser reared, screaming in terror! It was all the girls could do to keep from being thrown. Rose kicked the stallion again, making him jump the log, then she looked back, to see Chang flying close behind them...

"Rose! Look out!" Rose looked ahead, and saw that they were heading straight for a gorge!

Rose looked around, frantic, but shades were blocking them on either side! Their only way out was forward...

Rose urged Starchaser onward, forcing him to keep his gallop. "Are you insane?!!!" yelled Luna, "We'll never make it over that!"

"We will if I can help it!" cried Rose. As they reached the each, Starchaser gave a mighty leap just as Rose cried out, "Wing of the Dragon!!!" Flames erupted from her shoulders, becoming huge, feathered wings... Time slowed... The three hung suspended over the gorge... Then, they were across it! The unicorn landed heavily, falling to his knees and throwing the girls from his back.

Luna got up, running over to her unicorn friend. He was exhausted and gasping for breath, but otherwise looked unhurt. Rose, on the other hand was clutching her injured shoulder, gasping in pain. "Luna..." she gasped, "Don't ever let me do that again..."

Luna went over to Rose and helped her to her feet. "Come on." she said, "We have to get out of here before Chang catches up."

"It's too late for that."

Both girls looked up, to see Chang hovering overhead. They heard a scream from Starchaser, and saw the unicorn struggling wildly as shades swarming upon him, binding him with chains. But the stallion was too weak to fight, and the shades soon overpowered him.

Chang looked down at the pitiful threesome with a cruel smile on her reptilian face. "Oh how the mighty have fallen." She said smugly. The old dragoness flew closer, eyeing her prey as she prepared to strike. She looked at Rose, and their eyes met... "Any last words, Huntsgirl?"

A fireball streaked past Chang, missing her by inches! "What?!" She turned, just as another fireball struck her wing! Reeling in pain, Chang righted herself and looked up, to see an angry Chinese Dragon coming straight for her! Dodging another fireball, the Asian Dragon shot one last look at Rose, then flew off as fast as her injured wing could take her...

Lao Shi watched her until she was out of sight, then looked around. The shades had vanished after Chang had fled, and now only the two girls and the unicorn remained.

Rose stared at the dark blue dragon as he landed. "Lao Shi?..."

He looked up at her, his eyes wide with disbelief. But before Rose could move, the elder dragon had rushed over and grabbed her in a hug. Rose was speechless with shock. Lao Shi rarely, if ever, gave hugs. When she finally found her voice, she said "Ok... Who are you and what have you done with Dragon Master Lao Shi?"

The old dragon smiled down at her, and Rose saw tears shining in his eyes. He hugged her again, saying, "I thought you were dead... but you're safe..." Then he let go and looked down at her. "But, how did you survive that fall?"

"Thank Luna and her unicorn friends." said Rose, "If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't still be here..." The old dragon went over to Luna and Starchaser. After pulling the chains off the unicorn and making sure they were unhurt, he took the elf's hand in his claw and said, "You have the thanks of our families for saving Rose."

"Anytime." said Luna.

"I only wish Jake could be here to see you..." said Lao Shi, turning to look at Rose again.

Rose suddenly grabbed the Dragon Master's claw, gripping it tightly. "Lao Shi, Jake is alive!"

"What?! But then, where is he?!" Lao Shi grabbed her shoulders, staring hard into her eyes.

Rose bowed her head, unable to meet the dragon's gaze... "Lao Shi... the dragon that attacked me, the one that was attacking everyone... that, was Jake..."

"What?... but how can that be?!"

Rose looked up again, finally meeting his hard gaze with one her own. "The Dark Dragon was using a spell to possess him... We have to get Jake and find a way to break the curse before it's too late."

The Dragon Master nodded gravely... "A spell... I thought as much, but I never suspected that Jake was the one being possessed..." He let go of her and hovered in the air above them. "We must return to the shop at once."

"Lao Shi wait!" called Rose. "There's something I forgot to tell you... I hurt my shoulder in that fall... According to Luna, I won't be able to fly for at least a week..."

The old dragon sighed, then landed. "Then you will have to ride on me." He said, crouching down for her to mount.

Rose came over to him. "Are you sure about this?" she asked.

"Not to worry." he said, "If I can carry Fu Dog, then I can carry you. But, don't tell Fu Dog I said that..."

"Don't worry, I won't tell." said Rose, smiling at him. Then she climbed onto the old dragon's back. After she was settled, the Chinese Dragon took flight, as Luna mounted Starchaser. Then, with a finally goodbye, they went their separate ways...

* * *


	6. Chapter 6 So Close and Yet So Far

Fireheart

Chapter 6: So Close, and Yet So Far...

Loa Shi and Rose returned to the shop to find the others waiting for them, along with Sun Park, Haley, Rose's parents and sister, and Jake's parents.

After a warm welcome from all of them, Rose told them about what had happened to her, and then, she told them about Jake...

"-So now we have to find a way to break the curse on Jake." finished Rose. The others stared at her, trying to take in what she'd told them... Meanwhile, Fu Dog was thinking hard, staring around at the book shelves.

"Ya' say the black lightening came out of that star shaped burn on Jake's chest when he transformed?"

"That's right." said Rose, "Do you know anything about it?"

"I just might..." said Fu thoughtfully. He went up to one of the book shelves and started pulling each book from the shelf, glancing at the title before putting it back.

"But what good is that gonna do us?" asked Trixie when she saw what he was doing, "We've already looked through every magical medicine book in this place, and we _still _couldn't find anything about that burn!"

"That's because we were looking in the wrong books." said Fu, as he dug through the boxes in the back room, "Ah-Ha! Bingo!"

He came back with a large book that was covered with dust. He set the book down on a stool in the middle of the room as the others gathered around him. Once the dust was blown away, it revealed a black leather binding, cracked with age and filled with yellowing pages. The faded letters of the title were silver in color and read "Dark Magic and Forbidden Curses". Under the title was a silver picture, as faded as the title, but still clearly recognizable. It was the image of a skull and crossbones.

"Grandpa,"asked Haley, astonished, "What are you doing with a book of Dark Magic?!"

"Do not worry Haley." the old dragon said gently, "This is only a journal which recorded the use of Dark Magic and curses throughout history." He turned to look at Fu. "But what are you looking for Fu Dog?"

"Just give me a sec..." said Fu, as he flipped through the book's pages. "Found it!" Fu stared hard at the pages as he read, "Uh-oh... "

"What is it?" asked Susan.

But before Fu could answer- "Hey guys! Look what I found!" 89 came running into the room, holding a small purple canister. He tripped over the rug, and the can flew into the air before Fu Dog caught it.

"Phew..." said Fu, as he looked at the can, "Magical Sneezing Salt, not a good thing to have around a bunch of dragons..." But just as he said this, the lid fell off, and thick purple cloud of salt spread out into the room. Fu Dog started sneezing first, then the humans, and then...

"Uh-oh, everybody out!" cried Fu. He opened the door to the front room and the humans ran out, still sneezing.

"Huh,"said Haley, "I don't feel like sneezing. Maybe this batch doesn't work on dra- dra- drag- ACHOO!" She dragoned up as a fireball shot from her mouth, and landed right on the book!

"Fu Dog! ACHOO! Get the- ACHOO! fire extinguisher!" cried Loa Shi, as he tried to control his sneezing.

"Rose," said Sun, covering her mouth to keep from breathing in the salt, "Flap your wings to clear the air."

"I've got- ACHOO! A better idea- ACHOO!" said Rose. She ran from the room, and came back with a hand held vacuum cleaner.

Just then, Fu Dog ran into the room wearing a gas mask and holding a fire extinguisher. As he put out the fire, Rose used the vacuum cleaner to suck up the rest of the salt. Once the air was clear, and they could all breathe without sneezing, they gathered around the book again, to see how much damage had been done to it.

"Well," said Fu, "It doesn't look too bad. Looks like the only page that got burnt was the page we needed- who am I kiddin' this is terrible!"

"What do we do now?" asked Rose, "That page was our only hope of finding a way to break that curse!"

"Not exactly..." said Fu, squinting down at the remains of the blackened page, "There's a footnote here, about the only thing left of this page, but it says here, that the information about this curse came from an ancient text called the 'Scroll of Secrets'."

"Well what are we standin' around for then?" said Jonathan, "Let's start looking for it."

A few hours later...

"It's no use." said Susan, "We've looked everywhere for that scroll!"

"It's not anywhere at the Huntslair." said 88.

"Yeah," said 89, "We searched that place from top to bottom."

"And we looked all over the Magus Bazaar." said Sun

"But it wasn't there either." said Haley.

"We can't just give up!"said Rose, "That has to be someway to find it!"

"There is one place it might be..." said Loa Shi.

Everyone turned to look at him.

"If the scroll is not here, and the Huntsclan did not have it, then I know of only one other person who might have it..."

As he stared around at them all, he locked eyes with Rose. And in that moment, they both knew that they were thinking the same crazy idea...


	7. Chapter 7 A Change of Plans

Fireheart

Chapter 7: A Change of Plans

Back at the warehouse...

The Dark Dragon was sparring with Jake again. The older dragon was impressed with the progress the young red was making, but he still had much to learn before they could act on their plan...

Suddenly, Chang burst in, still in dragon form.

"Master..." She dropped to her knees, gasping for breath. The Dark Dragon quickly came over to her, seizing her injured wing in a viselike grip. Chang cried out in pain, but didn't dare pull away. She held perfectly still as the black dragon examined the burned membrane.

"Who did this to you?" he growled.

"I was attacked, by Loa Shi." said Chang, "He caught me off guard."

"The old man may be a fool." said the Dark Dragon thoughtfully, "But he seldom attacks without reason." He stared hard at the old dragoness. "What did you do to provoke him?"

Chang looked at him, then lowered her gaze. "The Huntsgirl still lives..." she said.

"_**What?!**_"

The question came in a furious snarl. Chang cried out again as the Dark Dragon cruelly wrenched her wing in anger. She was thrown flat on the ground, gasping in pain as he towered over her. With her wing still in his cruel grip, Chang saw his other claw curled into a fist over her head. The dragoness shut her eyes tight, bracing herself for the hit, but the blow never came...

Puzzled, Chang slowly opened one eye.

The Dark Dragon was staring down at her, but he didn't seem to be looking at her. The rage was gone from he eyes, replaced by deep thought...

Finally, he released her wing, backing away and turning to look at Jake. Chang stayed where she had fallen, not even daring to move.

"American Dragon!" called the dark one.

Jake came over to him, bowing low before his dark master. "You roared?" he asked.

"Raise." said the Dark Dragon.

Jake did so.

The black dragon turned to look down at Chang. "I meant both of you." he growled.

Chang quickly got to her feet, wincing at the pain in her wing. The Dark Dragon noticed this, then called some of his shades over to them. "Do what you can for her injury." he instructed.

As the shades tended to Chang's wing, the Dark Dragon turned back to face Jake.

"My young apprentice," he said, "it appears that things have not gone as I had hoped."

"So what does that mean?" asked Jake.

"It means... That there has been a change of plans..."


	8. Chapter 8 Unlikely Ally & Hidden Legend

Fireheart

Chapter 8: An Unlikely Ally, and a Hidden Legend...

Professor Rotwood sat in his chair, watching the news. There was nothing of interest on it. By now, it was night and a heavy drizzle was falling outside. He was considering going to bed, when a noise from outside caught his attention. It was the soft clatter of talons on woodwork.

Rotwood turned slowly, and caught sight of the serpentine creature that was silhouetted in the window. He didn't need to see it, to know instantly what it was.

"Yes?" he said, with a strong German accent, "And which dragon are you?"

Rotwood turned on a nearby lamp. It's light flickered across the dark blue scales and worried face of an elderly Chinese dragon. The professor had only seen this dragon once before, but he knew there was only one person it could be.

"Oh, it's you. You are Jake's grandfather, correct?"asked Rotwood. He paused, "Oh, but where are my manners? Come in quickly before you let the rain in."

Two figures slid off the old dragon's back as he stepped into the room. The strangers hid in the shadows. Standing a respectful distance from Rotwood, Jake's grandfather took a moment to shake the water off his scales and close the window behind him.

Rotwood eyed his guest warily. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

"Unfortunately," said Loa Shi, turning to face him, "we did not come to visit."

"Oh?" Rotwood seemed surprised by this. "Then why did you come?"

"We came for information."

Rotwood quickly turned at sound of the voice, and saw a young ninja and an old Sher Pi emerge from the shadows. He realized that they were the ones who had been riding the old dragon.

The ninja looked about the same age as Jake Long. Her outfit was a wine colored red, from her mask to her boots, and her long golden hair was tied back in a braid behind her head. She stared at him with fierce blue eyes, and then Rotwood noticed the large, double-bladed staff in her hand.

This is a girl to be careful around, thought Rotwood. The old dog beside her was of little interest, until it stood up on its hind legs and said "We're here lookin' for an ancient scroll you might have."

"Ahh! It talks!" Rotwood was sitting on the back of his chair, staring down at the old dog with wide eyes.

Loa Shi and the young huntress glared at the dog.

"Fu Dog!" snapped the old dragon, "What have I told you about talking to strangers like that?!"

"What?" said Fu, "He already knows about magical creatures. Might as well know about me too."

"So he really does talk?" asked Rotwood, "Fascinating..." Then he remembered where he was.

"Uh, excuse me, but could one of you please get me down from here?"

After Loa Shi pulled him down off his chair, Rotwood turned to the group. "Now then, what is this about a scroll you're looking for?"

It was the young huntress who answered him. "We believe that you have an ancient text known as the 'Scroll of Secrets'." She paused, looking around at the others. "We have need of it."

"The Scroll of Secrets?" asked Rotwood, "Hmmm... Yes... I seem to remember that one..." He stared at them intently. "But what do you want with it?"

The three companions looked at each other, then Loa Shi spoke. "I'm afraid it concerns my grandson..." He said sadly.

"Jake?" asked Rotwood, "What happened? I heard that he'd transferred to a High School out of state." He fixed the old dragon with a glare. "Don't tell me that someone else has exposed him as a dragon before I could!"

"No." said the huntress, "It's worse then that..." She paused then, thinking about how much they should tell him. Finally, she said, "Jake is in trouble, and if we don't find that scroll, and the information it contains-" Here she paused again, and looked straight into Rotwood's eyes. "Then the entire magical world, is doomed..."

The German paled under her fierce gaze, as her words sank in... Then, regaining his composure, Professor Rotwood turned away from her and headed for the door of the room. Once there, he turned back to the group and said, "Well? What are you all standing around for? I haven't got all night. You want to find that scroll or not?!"

The threesome gathered outside the door, then followed the German down a flight of stairs to his garage. But once there, he led them over to a rug in the middle of the room. Underneath it was a trap door revealing more stairs leading downward. Professor Rotwood went down first, and the others followed him. At the bottom of these stairs was a heavy metal door, that would've looked more at home on a bank vault then in a hidden basement.

Rotwood went forward, turned the large wheel set in the center of the door, and pulled it open. As the others approached him, he stood aside to let them pass. "Ladies first." he said, giving a small bow to Rose.

She glared at him and said, "I don't think so. _You _go in first."

Rotwood started to protest, but then noticed her staff again. She was holding it so that the large blades were clearly visible even in the poor light of the basement.

"Ah, yes... maybe I should go in first." he said cautiously, edging away from her and the blades. The young huntress nodded to the dragon and the dog, then stood aside to let them follow the professor. Rotwood entered the room, hearing sudden gasps as he turned on the lights...

The entire room was lined with row upon row of long shelves, and every shelf was lined with scrolls and books. The professor turned to look at his three guests, pleased at the looks of awe on their faces.

"Impressive, no?" asked Rotwood smugly, "It took me quite awhile to find all of these in my younger days. The scroll you want is in the 'S' section."

"'S' section?" asked Fu, "You mean you alphabetized all these?"

"Of course." said Rotwood, "How else do you expect me to keep track of them? Anyway, if you want to find that scroll before next year, I suggest you start looking."

"He's right," said Rose, coming over to the others, "We should spilt up. We'll cover more ground that way."...

Some time later...

Rose was walking down one of the many pathways between the shelves of books. Loa Shi and Fu Dog where somewhere on the other side of the basement, and none of them had found the scroll yet.

She was just about to turn back, when something caught her eye. Hanging on the wall nearby, between two long shelves, was what appeared to be a curtain of some kind. Rose went over to it for a closer look... It wasn't a curtain. It was a sheet, but it did seem to be covering something.

Intrigued, Rose took hold of it and pulled. The sheet fell away to reveal a large, colored tapestry. It looked very old, but well made and well preserved.

The tapestry depicted a battle scene. On the ground, a fierce battle raged between elves, trolls, hobgoblins, unicorns, leprechauns, giants, centaurs, and many other creatures that Rose couldn't identify. Then, her attention was drawn to the image in the sky above. Griffins, phoenixes, pegasi and other flying creatures soared high over the battlefield below, locked in furious dogfights.

But it wasn't these that caught her eye... Here a flash of bright scales, there a blast of flame. Everywhere the dragons dodged in and out between the fighters. Two dragons stood out among these, centered above the battle and placed in the foreground of the scene.

One dragon was shrouded in darkness. It didn't take long for Rose to recognize him...

But the other dragon was different. Pure white with silver scales down it's belly and huge, feathered wings. It was surrounded by light, but the light seemed to come from the dragon, emanating from it's very center.

Rose stared at it in awe. She'd never seen this dragon before, but it seemed so familiar... She reached out slowly, tracing the image of the white dragon with her hand...

"I see you've taken an interest in my tapestry."

The sudden voice made her jump. She quickly snatched her hand away and turned, to see Rotwood standing behind her.

"I- I- was just-" she stuttered.

Rotwood raised a hand to silence her. "No need to apologize." He said, smiling at her. "I too often find myself mesmerized in the presence of it's great beauty." He turned to look at the tapestry, smiling proudly.

"It is beautiful..." Rose said softly, "but sad too..." She looked at Rotwood. "When did this battle take place? I've never even heard of that white dragon before."

The professor raised an eyebrow at her. "You have never heard of this?" He thought for a moment, taking his monocle off to clean it on his shirt. After putting it back on, he looked down at Rose and said, "Very well. As you too seem to be a student of magical lore, I will tell you the legend that goes with this tapestry."

He cleared his throat and began, "It is an ancient legend, lost thousands of years ago... It was once housed in the great library of Alexandra, which, as I'm sure you might know, not only housed the greatest literary and scientific collection of all time, but also the greatest legends, potent magic, and most treasured artifacts of the magical world."

He could tell by the look in her eyes that she hadn't known this, but she didn't interrupt him, so he continued.

"Now," he said, "When the library was destroyed by the earthquake and fire, many of the treasures inside were lost with it, including the scroll containing the legend I am about to tell you. This," He pointed at the tapestry, "was one of the few items that was rescued and is all that remains of it."

"Excused me..." asked Rose.

"Yes?" asked Rotwood, "You have a question?" He raised an eyebrow at her again.

"It's just that, if the legend was destroyed with the library, then how do you know it?" asked Rose.

Rotwood gave her a smug smile and said, "I was keen sighted enough to find it woven into the back of the tapestry. But now, to the legend itself." He pointed to the tapestry again. "Thousands of years ago, when magical creatures and humans lived side by side..." he began, "there were two dragons. One was a powerful female," he pointed to the white dragon, "and the other was her brother." Then he pointed to the dark dragon...

"They were twins." he said, "but the sister of the two was gifted with powerful magic, loved and honored by all who knew her. She was wise and kind as well as beautiful, and it was said that she would be destined for great things.

Over time, as magical creatures and humans were able to live in peace and coexist with each other, the female's brother grew jealous of her, and he despised humans above all else, believing them to be inferior. He believed that only magical creatures should rule, with humans either destroyed or kept as slaves.

His sister disagreed with him, wanting to continue peace between the two worlds. Her brother would hear none of it, thinking that she was foolish to want peace with humans, and so he left, setting out to discover his own power.

Unfortunately, that was exactly what he discovered. For many years, he stayed hidden in the shadows, gathering more power in secret. When he returned, he took his new power and the followers he had gathered, and sought to make an example of the humans, to prove just how inferior and weak they truly were. It was his actions that shattered the fragile peace between our worlds. It was this that turned humans against magical creatures." Here, Rotwood paused, bowing his head sadly...

"It was a dark time... a time of dragon slayers and terrible monsters roaming the land, destroying villages and towns, and in return the humans would strike back, hunting down the creatures they thought were responsible for the attacks. But more often then not, it was innocent creatures that paid the price...

Some humans even made the hunting a life-long commitment. There were those who believed the creatures to be a poison, an unnatural plague that should be wiped from the face of the Earth. Such people banned together, forming clans of hunters and making a career by selling the pelts taken from magical creatures, along with other magical items, for profit." Here he paused again, staring at Rose. He eyed her bladed staff, and the ax-blade symbol on the forehead of her mask.

"The most successful of these clans..." he said slowly, "was known as the Huntsclan. They were the only known clan to have survived the Dark Ages. Growing stronger over time, they became experts at hunting magical creatures, especially dragons..." He coughed, then continued.

"Now, when magical creatures were forced into hiding by humans, dragons were chosen to become guardians over the magical world. Being the most powerfully magical of all the creatures, coupled with their natural ability to shape shift into human form made them the perfect choice. They could live among humans in secret, while still protecting the magical creatures.

Now, I'm sure you're asking yourself what any of this has to do with the battle and the white dragon, well I'm getting to that.

The white dragon was one of the dragons assigned as magical protectors, but her brother, the 'Dark Dragon' as he came to be known, found out about this. He offered dragons the chance to join him in overthrowing the humans and reclaiming the Earth for magical creatures. A few dragons accepted his offer and joined him, but many dragon refused, siding with his sister to protect the remaining creatures and the humans. Over time, each side gathered an army, each preparing for the fierce battle they knew would come..."

Rotwood pointed to the tapestry again. "As you can see," he said, "a battle did come. This tapestry serves as a record of that terrible day."

Rose looked up at the white dragon... "What happened to her?" she asked softly.

"Sadly," said Rotwood, "she perished at her brother's claw during the battle, but according to the legend, using the last of her strength and magic, she was able to drain most of his dark power, forcing him to retreat. The Dark Dragon escaped and went back into hiding. He then hunted down his sister's family one by one, making sure that none of her bloodline ever survived to challenge him again..."

Rotwood paused to catch his breath.

"Apparently," he said, "he did such a good job of it that even the dragons have forgotten about her." he sighed heavily as he finished, "Her entire legacy, lost forever in the midst of time... Until now."

Rose stared up at the white dragon, saddened by Rotwood's tale. Then, she noticed something... There was a small red mark woven onto the white dragon's wrist...

"What is that?" she asked, pointing to it.

"I'm not completely sure." said Rotwood, "I believe it's a birthmark of some kind, but I've never been able to see it clearly enough to tell what it is."

Then he stared a Rose's outstretched hand...

"Pardon me for asking," he said, "But could I see that mark on your wrist?"

"What?" asked Rose. She pulled away, covering the mark with her other hand. "You mean this? It's nothing, really." She backed away from him. He eyed her suspiciously, then shrugged, turning to study the tapestry again.

Rose stayed where she was, trying to think of how she could leave without drawing attention to herself. Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps caught her attention.

"Kid!" called Fu Dog, skidding to a stop and collapsing in front of her.

"Fu Dog?! What's wrong?" asked Rose, kneeling down beside him.

"Too... much... exercise..." panted Fu.

"What Fu Dog is trying to say," said Loa Shi, flying toward them over the book selves, "is that we have found the scroll!"

* * *

I'm sorry I took so long to update this! So I made up for it with a long chapter :) Hope you like it, and thank you for waiting! By the way, we're almost ready to put out our first story podcast! The first story we'll be doing is "Trouble With Phyiscs" and the first long podcast story we'll be doing is "Dragonfire"! I'll announce when the podcast is out in a later chapter of this fanfic, or "Strange Alliances" so stay tuned!


	9. Chapter 9 The Soul Bind

Fireheart

Chapter 9: The Soul-Bind

"Ok, here it is." said Fu, as he unrolled the scroll on the table. He, Rose, Lao Shi, Sun and Haley were in the back room of the electronics shop, having assured Rotwood that the scroll would be returned to him once they were finished with it. 88 and 89 had gone to bed and the others had gone home for the night.

"So, this will tell us what's wrong with Jake?" asked Haley.

"It should..." said Fu Dog, "I just hope I'm wrong..." The others exchanged nervous glances as the Shar Pei looked over the scroll.

"Oh no... I was hoping it wouldn't be this!" said Fu, with a slight note of panic in his voice.

"What?" asked Rose, "What is it?"

Fu dog rolled the scroll out further, so the others could see it clearly. "It's called the Soul-bind." he said, "Dark magic that was outlawed by the Dragon Council centuries ago." As he spoke, holographic images appeared over the scroll. "An evil sorcerer created the spell as a way to increase his power."

"How does it work?" asked Sun.

"That's the bad news." said Fu, "It binds the soul of the spell caster to any living creature the spell is cast on. If the guy who cast the spell dies, or in the Dark Dragon's case, gets sucked into another dimension, that spell would allow them to temporarily possess the guy that the spell was cast on."

"But what happens if the spell caster _isn't_ dead?" asked Haley.

"That's the worse news..." said Fu, "If they're alive, then the spell 'castee' becomes a kind of power source for the spell caster. It's like a parasite relationship. Kinda like those fleas I can never get rid of." He pointed to the images above the scroll. "Ya' see, as long as that burn mark is in place, the spell caster draws strength and power from the victim. The more powerful the victim becomes, then the more power the caster has."

"So how do we stop it?" asked Rose.

Fu looked up at her, then looked away. "That's just it kid..." he said sadly, "We don't.".

"_What!_" cried Rose, "Fu, there has to be a way to save Jake!"

"I'm tellin' ya' kid." said Fu,"There's nothing you can do to save him..." The old Shar Pei turned to leave the room, but Rose blocked his path.

She fixed him with a fierce glare. He turned away again, avoiding her eyes. But this time Rose was ready. Fu let out a yelp as she seized the old dog by the scruff of his neck, holding him up so that their eyes met.

"Rose!" cried Sun. She started towards them, but Lao Shi held her back, shaking his head in a warning gesture.

Fu Dog cringed, whimpering as he tried to look away from Rose, but she held him firm, forcing him to meet her gaze.

"Fu Dog." she said. Her voice was deadly calm as she spoke. "How do I break the spell." The air seemed to hang with an eerie stillness as she waiting for him to answer. Finally-

"Ok! Ok!" cried Fu, "I'm weak! There! I said it!" He lowered his gaze, then said slowly, "There is a way to break the curse, but you're not gonna like it..."

"Tell me." said Rose. It wasn't a question, but a command.

Fu sighed heavily, then looked into her eyes and said, "The only way to break the curse... is to slay one of the two that are bonded by it, and if what you say is true. The Dark Dragon is too powerful to slay as long as he's sharing the soul-bind with Jake."

There were sudden gasps from Sun and Haley. Rose stared at Fu, a look of shock on her face, as the meaning of his words sank in...

"No." she said firmly, "There has to be another way. I know Jake. He'd find a way to break it."

"I have heard of this spell before." said Lao Shi. "No one has ever broken it on their own."

Rose lowered Fu Dog to the floor and released him, then she turned to stare at the old man. He met her gaze, unflinching, but she couldn't read the expression on his face.

"There's a first time for everything." said Rose, "If anyone can break that spell, Jake can."

"But... what if he can't?" asked Haley meekly.

"He will." said Rose, "He has too..." She didn't want to think of what would happen if he didn't... What she would have to do...

"So what do we do?" asked Sun.

"We find Jake." said Rose, taking charge, "We find him and help him break the Dark Dragon's curse." She looked at Lao Shi again. The others turned to look at him as well. They waited in silence as the old man stared at Rose, his eyes meeting hers with a searching gaze. Finally, he nodded slowly, turned to Fu and said, "Fu Dog, take Rose and scour the magical community. See if you can find anyone who knows where Jake is."

"What about us?" asked Haley, indicating Sun and herself, "What should we do?"

"You and Sun must gather the others and tell them what we've discovered." said Lao Shi, "I will stay here and read over the scroll again. In case there was something overlooked."

"What about us!"

They all looked up, to see 88 and 89 hiding at the top of the stairs.

"How long have you two been listening?" asked Rose.

"Long enough." said 88.

"Yeah!" said 89, "We wanna help too!" He tried to come out from behind the banister, but tripped over 88, sending them both crashing down the stairs. They landed in a heap in front of Lao Shi.

The aging dragon shook his head wearily. "You two," he said, addressing the two boys, "will stay here, keep out of trouble and help me do research."

"Works for us..." They said, still dazed from the fall.

"Then come on!" said Rose, "We've got a dragon to save."

* * *

Hey! ArkansanDragon here! No, I'm not dead! I've just been really busy... :-( homework and other stuff... But I finally got this chapter finished! Yay:-) And I have even better news: The podcast has been updated and savetheshows .com is back up- well, almost... The front page and the "submit content" pages are still down, but all the links work! So please feel free to check them both out. :-) Hope you like this new chapter and I'll try to have the next one up as soon as I can, as well as any new podcast updates, so stay tuned!


	10. Chapter 10 Getting The Scoop

Hey all! I am _so_ sorry that I couldn't post this sooner! But you know how it is... what with the writer's block and the end-of-year exams... what can you do? Anyway, I certainly hope that I've made up for your long wait with this long chapter :)

p.s. To those who asked if I would add Ghost Rider as a guest star (**Awesome** movie, by the way! Two thumbs up! :D), I'm sorry to say that he won't be appearing in this story. However... you have given me an idea for a crossover story sometime in the future... hint hint ;)

Also, for those of you who wish to help save American Dragon and give it the third season it deserves, please go to the tv. com American dragon forum, or the fight for three forum, or savetheshows. com to see how you can help :)

On a happier note, I'm proud to say that the first episode of Dragonfire is _finally _out in the SaveTheShows podcast! Yay!! :D

Please feel free to check it out and let us know what you think. :)

And last, but certainly not least, I'd like to take a moment to thank Hera Ledro: The Eternal Dragonic Allsie, and Mike Kane (aka Wheely, aka Savetheshows) for helping me get over my writer's block while writing this chapter. Thanks guys! :)

And also thank you to all those who read my stories and help support the American Dragon! Long Live the AmDrag and Rose! Save the Dragon! Viva La American Dragon: Jake Long!

(this message will also be posted at the bottom in case you don't see it here)

Hope you enjoy the chapter!

* * *

Fireheart

Chapter 10: Getting "The Scoop"

"So where should we start looking first?" asked Rose.

She and Fu Dog were in the subway, riding the train that would take them to Magus Bazaar, the magical market place.

The other passengers on the train occasionally glanced in her direction.

They were used to strange people and animals riding in this particular car, and Rose, dressed all in black except for the red shirt under her leather jacket, wearing black gloves and carrying a large, green, double-bladed staff, was no exception.

Rose pretended not to notice as they eyed the large blades on her hunting staff, edging away from her and Fu Dog.

"Woof! Bark! Woof! We're headin' to The Scoop. That's the best place to find information in Magus Bazaar." whispered Fu. Even in this part of the train, he still had to make sure the other passengers didn't hear him talking.

The train screeched to a halt at the final station. The other passengers headed for the doors, grateful to get away from the strange girl and her canine friend. Rose got up to follow them, but Fu Dog put a paw on her arm.

"Hold on kid,"said Fu, "we're not gettin' off here."

"But Fu," said Rose, "The train doesn't go any further then this. It'll just take us back to the first stop."

"Trust me." said Fu, winking at her. "It won't. Oh, and you might want to brace yourself..."

The train set off again. Then, after a few more minutes, the car they were in started to glow with a strange light.

"Uh... Fu?" Rose looked at him nervously as the light gathered around her and the dog.

"Here we go!" said Fu. Seconds later, both of them were shot through the roof of the car in a blast of teleporting magic.

They reappeared a few inches above the ground in front of a potion shop. Rose dropped lightly to her feet. Fu Dog landed on his head. He sat up, rubbing his head and muttered, "I hate it when that happens..."

"Where are we?" asked Rose, glancing around at the many shops and houses the lined the street.

"Rose," said Fu, "welcome to the Magus Bazaar. Now come on, you can sightsee later. We've got work to do."

He led her down a nearby street. Rose stayed close behind him, gazing around at the bustling market. There were magical creatures of all sorts gathered there. Some shopping, others haggling with shopkeepers, and still others selling their wares at busy stalls. A few of them stared at Rose as she passed, but then went back to their business. Rose kept walking, trying to act natural despite the curious looks she was getting.

"So, what is The Scoop anyway?" asked Rose, as they turned a corner. "is it like a bar or a pub?"

"Nope, even better." said Fu, "It's an ice cream parlor."

"An ice cream parlor..." said Rose, more then a little disappointed. Fu Dog stopped and turned at the sound of her voice. Rose knelt down beside him and said, "How are we supposed to find information about Jake at an ice cream parlor?!"

"Kid," said Fu, sounding slightly offended, "This isn't just any ice cream parlor. This is **the** ice cream parlor. Anybody who's anybody comes here! And no matter what goes down in this city, you can bet your boots that there's always somebody here who knows somethin' about it. It's just finding the guy and gettin' 'em to talk that's the problem."

"Oh, well don't worry about that." said Rose slyly, "I'm sure I can persuade them..." She fingered a large blade on her staff thoughtfully.

"Whoa, slow down there Huntsgirl!" said Fu, putting a paw on her leg. "I know you wanna find Jake as much as the rest of us, but we can't just charge in there guns blazin'. We gotta play it cool. Now come on, it's just around the next corner."

As they neared the parlor, loud crashes could be heard coming from inside the building.

Suddenly-

_CRASH!_

Two rowdy looking trolls were thrown out through the front door!

"_**AND STAY OUT!" **_shouted a shark-like women, poking her head out of the door and shaking her fist at the two fleeing trolls.

"Shark Lady?" asked Fu.

"Huh? Oh! Hi Fu Dog, long time no see." said the Shark Lady. She came out from behind the door and looked at them. "Sorry you had to see that. Those two trolls were throwing silverware at the dart board again." Then she spotted Rose. "Who's your friend?"

"Shark Lady, this is Rose." said Fu, "Rose, this is Shark Lady. She's a friend of our's."

"Pleasure to meet you." said the Shark Lady. She gave Rose a toothy smile. Rose clutched her staff uneasily.

Shark Lady's smile disappeared at the look on Rose's face. "I know what you're thinking." she said, "I get that a lot. But my race is actually quite peaceful. We don't bite." She gave another toothy grin, then without warning, took a huge bite out of the doorpost! Seeing the look of shock on the girl's face. Shark Lady swallowed the wood. "Shark instinct." She said, sounding embarrassed, "Sometimes I just can't help myself..."

"Ok..." said Rose, still looking uneasy. Then she noticed the apron that Shark Lady was wearing. "Do you work here?" Rose asked.

"Oh, no." said Shark Lady, "The barkeep is home sick this week. I'm just filling in until he gets back. But I am hoping to get a part time job here."

"Well, good luck with that." said Fu. "Me and Rose have got some business to deal with in there."

"Oh, of course!" said Shark Lady, "Where are my manners? Please come in. I'll see if I can get you anything."

She ushered them inside, then went behind the bar and started cleaning glasses. Fu Dog went straight for the bar, seating himself on a stool and glancing around. Rose quickly followed him, looking around at the assortment of creatures gathered there. There was a centaur throwing darts at the dart board, two ogres who were arm wrestling, a few unicorns playing pool, and four goblins playing cards with six leprechauns.

The young huntress made her way over to the bar and sat down next to Fu Dog. Shark Lady came up to them, giving another toothy grin.

"So," she said pleasantly, "what can I get for you?"

"A round of brownie delights and a strawberry smoothie." said Fu, "Shaken, not stirred."

"Comin' right up." said Shark Lady. She gave Fu Dog his order, then turned towards Rose. "And what can I get you?" she asked.

"Information." said Rose, leaning across the bar so as not to be overheard.

"Oh... got'cha." said Shark Lady, winking at Rose, "What kind?"

"I need to find the American Dragon." whispered Rose, "This is really important. It could mean the difference between life and death."

"Oh... This sounds serious." said Shark Lady, "well, if it's information you want, you might want to try that goblin over there." She pointed across the room toward a goblin wearing a brown leather jacket and a floppy hat. He was lounging in a chair with the hat over his eyes, sipping a milkshake and surrounded by his gang of henchmen.

Rose looked at the group, then narrowed her eyes in disgust. It was Merry, a well known goblin crime boss with a bad reputation for causing all sorts of trouble. She remembered him from her days in the Huntsclan, during times when the Huntsmaster had to do business with the goblin.

"Word on the street is that he and his gang have had recent contact with a shady looking dragon. So he might know something." whispered Shark Lady, "Be careful though, he's not the easiest to get information out of."

"Don't worry." said Rose, getting up from her stool, "I've dealt with him before." She took a firm grip on her staff and made her way over to the goblins' corner. Two of the brawnier goblins moved to block her way as she approached.

Rose stared them down and showed them her staff blades, daring them to try anything. "Stand aside." she said firmly, "I have business with your boss."

They eyed the blades nervously, but didn't move. Rose continued to glare at them. She didn't want to cause trouble here, but she would if she had too.

"Let her through." said Merry casually, waving his hand lazily at them. He hadn't even bothered to look up at Rose.

The two goblins looked at each other, then stood aside to let Rose through.

"Don Merry." said Rose, coming to stand right in front of him.

The goblin lifted his hat slightly, peeking out at her with one eye. "I see my reputation precedes me." he said. Then he took his hat off for a better look at Rose. "So..." he said, "What's a dame like you doin' in a place like this?"

"Cut the small talk." snapped Rose, "I need information, and I was told you have it."

"Maybe..." he said slyly, "depends on what it is, and how much you can pay for it."

Rose gave him a withering glare. "I need to know where I can find the American Dragon."

Merry lounged back in his chair, looking up at the ceiling for a short period before speaking. "The American Dragon?" he mused, tilting his chair back. "You mean that overgrown lizard who's always messing up my crimes?"

Rose bristled slightly, but masked her face as she replied tersely, "That's right, what do you know about him?"

The goblin crime lord slammed his chair forward. "I don't know nothin'."

That was Rose's breaking point. She grabbed the goblin with her left hand, yanking him off his chair. Her face was an inch from his as she growled at him.

"Listen goblin, I want information and I want it now." Her insides were boiling; what would she do if she couldn't find Jake?

Suddenly, she was thrown bodily from her target. Her Huntsclan reflexes serving her well, she flipped backwards and landed on her feet, staring down Merry's guards.

"No money, no service," Merry chided. "Take her, boys!"

And then all heck broke loose.

The two brawny goblin guards jumped at Rose, and shot their fists towards her face. She dodged aside easily, jumping into the air and quickly dealing them two blasts from her staff, set to stun them. She landed right in the middle of a ring of goblin gangsters.

She whirled her staff around, slamming her foes into walls, tables, and counter-tops. It wasn't long before all the goblins lay on the ground, either unconscious or stunned, and the goblin crime lord lay bare. Fu whistled admirably as Rose grabbed the crime boss and slammed him against the wall.

"Now listen, you—"

The goblin chuckled. "I'm sorry, I should have been more polite." He cleared his throat, almost as if he forgot that he was being held up against the wall by a trained slayer. "Ma'am," he said in a deep, dignified tone, "I believe I do know where the American Dragon is."

"Jake…" Rose whispered, and released the goblin, who slid neatly to his feet.

"Now the question of _telling_ you where he is wouldn't be allowed," the goblin continued, smiling maliciously. He snapped his fingers, and Rose heard a rustle. "But don't worry, he won't be going anywhere anytime soon."

All around her, the goblins were rising. Not one of them had so much as a scratch!

"You want another beating?" Rose muttered, handling her staff. The goblins were advancing on her, cracking their knuckles cruelly.

"Get 'em Rose! Teach those low-lifes to stay down!" yelled Fu. He pulled his cell phone of his fur and started dialing. "Hey, Big Ernie! Listen, give me 60 brownies on Rose. Oh, and throw in a couple doughnuts on the goblins."

Rose glared at the Sher Pei. "Fu Dog! What has Lao Shi told you about gambled when we fight?"

"Enough chit-chat." snapped Merry, "Get her!"

The goblins charged, but Rose spun her staff, knocking them to the floor again.

Again Merry was open to attack. Rose lunged at him, but the crime boss pulled a dagger from the folds of his jacket! Rose leapt back, barely avoiding the deadly blade! Merry held the weapon ready, staring hard at Rose.

The young slayer glared back at him, holding her staff ready... Around them she could hear tables and chairs scraping across the floor, as the other creatures scurried to find good hiding places, from which they could watch the fight.

The two fighters stood there, staring each other down, and waited...

_This is __**way**__ too much like one of those old Western movies. _thought Rose. She could almost hear the corny background music that always played during the showdown scenes. Wait a minute... she **was** hearing background music! "Fu Dog!"

"What?" said Fu, pushing the stop button on his CD player. "I was trying to set a mood here." But he put the CD player and the portable speaker back into his wrinkles anyway. Then the old Sher Pei dug through his wrinkles for a few more minutes, and pulled out a tumbleweed. "And cue tumbleweed." whispered Fu. He rolling the light mass of branches across the floor.

Merry glanced at it, slightly surprised. This was the break Rose was looking for. With an ear-spitting yell, she lunged at the goblin, knocking the dagger from his hand and sending him sprawling to the floor! She quickly seized him by the shoulder and slammed him against the wall again, this time holding her staff blade to the creature's throat.

"Now..." she growled, "I'll only ask you one more time. _Where is the American Dragon?_"

Merry glared at her, silent. Rose pressed the blade harder against his neck. He yelped and said, "Ok! Ok! Listen, the last I heard of him, he was seen down in the abandoned warehouse district on the edge of town."

The young huntress relaxed slightly. She lowered the blade and released the crime lord. He landed heavily on the floor, gasping and rubbing his neck.

"There," said Rose, glaring down at him, "Now that wasn't so hard, was it?"

"You have no idea..." muttered the goblin.

Rose looked around the room, then went over to Shark Lady and laid a few gold coins on the counter-top. "Sorry about the mess." she said, "This should help pay for the damages."

"Don't worry about it." said Shark Lady, "This happens all the time."

They both looked down at Fu Dog, who was still munching on brownies. "Come on Fu. It's time we left." said Rose

Can't I finish eating first?" whined Fu.

The huntress raised an eyebrow at him. "We've stayed here long enough." she said, "Put those in a doggie bag if you have to. Our work here is done." She turned and started for the door, but found Merry blocking it.

"Out of my way goblin." snarled Rose, "We've leaving."

"Now you see, there's a slight problem with that..." said Merry, smirking at her. Rose heard movement behind her and whirled around, the goblins were getting up again! She turned back to the door, but three of the lager goblins were already blocking it. They had her surrounded again...

Rose held her staff in a fighting stance, ready to attack at the slightest movement. "Tell them to stand aside." snapped Rose, "Now."

"I don't think so." said Merry, "Not until I teach you a lesson in manners."

"What do you want?" growled Rose.

"Simple." said Merry. He gave her his fiercest glare as he snarled, "_Nobody_ makes me look like a chump in public and gets away with it!"

"You didn't need my help for that..." muttered Rose.

The other creatures gasped, then crouched lower into their hiding spots, knowing that the crime lord wouldn't take that insult lightly.

The goblin's eyes blazed with rage. "Oh... you just made a **big** mistake there missy..."

Rose stared him down, her cold eyes unblinking. "Bring it."

The crime boss snapped his fingers. The other goblins started closing in. Rose braced herself, ready for a fight...

Then, Merry smiled slyly... He snapped his fingers again, and the goblins stopped. Rose watched, puzzled, as they backed away from her.

Merry saw the confused look on her face. "Now there's no need for that." he said. Rose noticed his voice had gone strangely calm, as if he'd forgotten they were about to fight. "Me and the boys just want to give you a little something..."

Then, without warning, a goblin reached inside his jacket and threw a large, glowing braid near where Rose stood. Almost in slow motion, the slayer looked down at the black hair on the floor. It was a lock of sphinx hair...

Immediately, she began to feel the effects. Her body weakened, and she collapsed onto the floor, vaguely hearing Fu yell, "Rose!"

Merry came over and looked down at her, smirking as he said, "Never been affected by sphinx hair before, have you, Huntsgirl? Or should I say... Dragon girl!"

Struggling to look up at the goblin crime lord, Rose stuttered, "But, how did you—"

"I have my ways," he said, inspecting his grimy fingernails. "Besides, I've been expecting you."

"What?" Rose struggled, trying to get up, but it was no use. The sphinx hair was draining too much of her strength...

"Oh don't worry, you'll find out soon enough. My… employer wanted you alive, so just be happy. Or don't; maybe death is better than what he wants with you, hehe. Boys! Snare 'em."

The goblins began advancing on Rose, tossing a heavy net over her.

"Hang on! I'm comin', kid!"

Rose turned her head to see Fu Dog running towards her, only to be snatched up by two of the larger goblins. "Get off me!" growled Fu, trying to throw punches at his captors. "Don't make me have to get rough with you!" But the goblins only laughed at him, tying him up as he struggled.

Rose was about to call to him when a unicorn burst into the room! With its horn, it bowled through the goblins too fool to flee the building, and quickly severed the bonds that held Rose and Fu.

Almost instinctively, Rose grabbed Fu and mounted the unicorn. It was little more than a white blur as it galloped away, bowling over more goblins.

It took a moment for Rose to register what had happened, and then she realized who it was she was riding: Starchaser! The familiar unicorn bound away, and turned a corner to reveal Luna!

Rose quickly dismounted and gave Luna a hug, which the elf returned and said, "It's good to see you again, Rose."

"Luna," Rose said softly, "How did you—"

"I saw the goblins, Rose. I knew there was something wrong, it just didn't feel right. When you walked into The Scoop, two goblin guards came around the building and blocked off the entrance. I was worried, so I sent Starchaser inside to look after you. Just in case."

Rose nodded. Giving the older elf a hug, she said, "Thank you so much…if it hadn't been for you, we'd have been done for."

"Hey," said Luna with a smile, "that's what friends are for."

"Hey Fu," Rose called, letting go of Luna and glancing down at him, "Get out the cell phone and call Lao Shi. He needs to know that the goblins are in on everything."

Fu opened his mouth to make a smart comment, but Rose silenced him with a glare. Grumbling, the shar pei did as he was told. A few moments later, he hung up the phone, and gave Rose a worried look.

"What is it?" asked Rose, but she was afraid she already knew the answer...

The old dog looked straight into her eyes, as he said the very words Rose had been dreading...

"Nobody's answering…"

* * *

Ooooooh... cliffhanger! ;) lol, don't worry, hopefully I won't take as long to post the next chapter :)

(The following is a repeat of the message at the top of the page, in case anyone missed it.)

Hey all! I am _so_ sorry that I couldn't post this sooner! But you know how it is... what with the writer's block and the end-of-year exams... what can you do? Anyway, I certainly hope that I've made up for your long wait with this long chapter :)

p.s. To those who asked if I would add Ghost Rider as a guest star (**Awesome** movie, by the way! Two thumbs up! :D), I'm sorry to say that he won't be appearing in this story. However... you have given me an idea for a crossover story sometime in the future... hint hint ;)

Also, for those of you who wish to help save American Dragon and give it the third season it deserves, please go to the tv. com American dragon forum, or the fight for three forum, or savetheshows. com to see how you can help :)

On a happier note, I'm proud to say that the first episode of Dragonfire is _finally _out in the SaveTheShows podcast! Yay!! :D

Please feel free to check it out and let us know what you think. :)

And last, but certainly not least, I'd like to take a moment to thank Hera Ledro: The Eternal Dragonic Allsie, and Mike Kane (aka Wheely, aka Savetheshows) for helping me get over my writer's block while writing this chapter. Thanks guys! :)

And also thank you to all those who read my stories and help support the American Dragon! Long Live the AmDrag and Rose! Save the Dragon! Viva La American Dragon: Jake Long!


	11. Chapter 11 Jake's Return

Hey people! *ducks to avoid a veggie pelting* No, you're not seeing things, I **_FINALLY_** posted a new chapter! I'd like to thank Mike and Anna for their help, and they helped alot with this chapter (Mike actually wrote most of it). So, Thanks guys! :D Let me know what you think, and here's hoping my next update won't take over a month....

* * *

Fireheart

Chapter 11:

Jake's Return

_One hour earlier...._

The moment that Lao Shi stepped through the door to his shop, he knew there was something out of place. All but one light in the shop had been turned off, casting the entire room into deep shadow. A sudden chill crept down the old man's spine, the hairs on the back of his neck standing straight up. There was _defiantly_ something wrong here...

Gramps slowly made his way into the room, tense and alert. It was only after he'd shut the door behind him that he noticed the pair of glowing red eyes that stared out at him from the darkness.

"Show yourself." he growled.

"Come on now, Gramps, is that anyway to greet your Grandson?" said a voice. Jake Long stepped out of the shadows.

A sneer crossed the boy's face as he registered Lao Shi's disbelief, the look vanished as quick as it came as Jake's body was engulfed in blue flame. In only a second, the boy, now a dragon, lunged at his grandfather, going straight for him...

As Jake came at him, the elder Dragon's instincts took over. He went full dragon and dodged to one side just as Jake landed right where he'd been a moment before. Jake came at him again, but this time he was ready, he blocked the young dragon's attack and knocked him backward with a spinning kick. Jake went crashing into the wall, but was on his feet in an instant.

Jake sidestepped cautiously, looking for a weak point in his Grandfather's stance. Lao Shi countered by sidestepping himself, careful to keep the most distance possible between them. All the while the look of disbelief grew ever more evident on his face. "Jake," Gramps asked pleadingly, "Why are you doing this? What has happened to you?"

Jake spat a fireball in reply. In one swift motion the old dragon spun and swatted the flame away with his tail, ignoring the singe marks it left. Jake seized the opportunity and moved in, claws raised, but the elder was quicker than he thought and he reversed the spin just as Jake reached him, catching his claws and locking the two combatants in a deadly test of strength. "I have a _new _master now, old man!" he laughed. "I guess you could say I've seen the light, in a manner of speaking."

"No!" Lao Shi cried, out of both sadness and anger.

Jake's larger Dragon form was overtaking his Grandfather's now. Lao Shi struggled against the weight, groaning as he was pused closer and closer to the unforgiving floor. "Oh, yes. My master is an old friend of yours, actually." Jake continued the taunt, "In fact, he wanted me to give you something..." Jake's head tilted back as if he planned to headbutt Gramps, but Lao Shi knew what was coming, and when his Grandson's head came into view again a torrent of flame burst from his muzzle.

The elder dragon retaliated with a blast of his own fire, _still_ careful to avoid harming his student. But Lao Shi knew he was growing weaker, he only had one chance. Being careful to isolate his head so as not to lose his fire powers, Gramps rapidly returned to his human form. The change in weight and size was enough to throw Jake off and the boy stumbled head-first to the floor. Just as quickly, the old man was a dragon once more, but feeling weak, and knowing that his Grandson would be up in seconds, Lao Shi leaped for the relative safety of the rafters above.

"Where are ya' Gramps?" Jake called in that same malevolent voice minutes later, "Are you scared of your wittle bitty Grandson?" he taunted.

"I'm right here." growled a voice. Jake whirled around, to see Gramps standing behind him. But before the old dragon could move, a blast of fire shot from Jake's mouth! Lao Shi ducked, barely avoiding the blast. A blood-curdling roar came from over Jake's head, he stopped flaming and quickly looked up. Gramps had jumped out of the rafters and was coming down head first and claws outstretched, straight at Jake.

Jake's look of surprise quickly turned into a sneer. He didn't try to dodge as the elder dragon fell towards him. Instead he raised his claw so that it was facing Gramps palm out, and as he did so, electricity crackled around it. A huge lightening bolt shot from Jake's upraised claw! It struck Lao Shi square in the head, but the old dragon shimmered and vanished in a wisp of Chi energy. Too late, Jake realized his mistake and whirled around to find Gramps almost on top of him. Jake quickly blasted a fireball at the old dragon. Caught off guard, the blast struck Lao Shi in the chest and knocked him backwards. Jake followed through with another lightening bolt that blasted his grandfather into the back room and into a supply shelf.

Lao Shi dropped to the floor, winded. Before he could recover, another blast of lightening struck the self over his head, sending it crashing down and pinning the old dragon where he lay. Jake entered the room as Gramps struggled to free himself. The young Dragon's body was again engulfed in blue flame and replaced by that of a teenage boy, though he made sure to retain his deadly dragon claws as he stalked toward the old dragon.

"How'd you like me now, old timer?" sneered the boy. He held a claw up to Lao Shi's face as lightening crackled around it. Jake seemed pleased at the look of shock on the old dragon's face as he stared at that claw.

"How- how did you?..." Gramps couldn't believe what he was seeing. His own grandson, wielding lightening. Gramps had certainly never taught him _that_.

"Like it?" asked Jake, mildly amused, "It's a little something I picked up from my new Master, and soon I will have even greater power! The Dark Dragon has promised that I will rule at his side once his plan is complete!"

"If you truly believe that." said Lao Shi, sternly looking Jake straight in the eyes, "Then you are a fool. He is only using you to gain power. Once you have served your purpose he will destroy you!" He stared hard into Jake's eyes, praying that his grandson would see reason and come out of this madness. In desperation, Lao Shi clutched weakly at the sleeve of his slayer, of his grandson.

The boy's sneer only grew more prominent as he watched the old man beg. He held the crackling claw poised over his victim's chest. "Goodbye, Grandfather" he whispered, and pressed the claw hard to Lao Shi's chest.

The old man's body seized and convulsed violently as electricity surged through his veins. His hands clenched and unclenched involuntarily and tore free of their hold on Jake's sleeve. Jake Long never blinked as he watched the old man die, but when it was over he knelt only for a second to admire his handiwork before reclaiming his Dragon form and leaving behind the place that had, for so long, been a home to him.


	12. Chapter 12 Payment

A big thank you to Anna for helping me with this chapter and proof reading it! :)

Hope you guys like it!

* * *

Fireheart

Chapter 12:

Payment

_Later, at the warehouse district....._

Merry glanced around, staring into the deep shadows cast by the warehouses. The rest of his gang waited nervously behind him as he cautiously strode forward.

"Goblin, you return empty handed... It seems you have failed in your appointed task."

The goblin crime boss turned toward the voice, and saw a pair of glowing eyes staring out at him from the shadows.

"Come out here where I can see you." snapped the crime lord.

Chang emerged in her dragon form. "My master will not be pleased with your failure," she chided.

"Hey!" snapped Merry, "You said the girl would put up a fight. You didn't say anything about her beatin' the tar out of my boys!"

"I thought that would have been obvious," the dragoness said coolly,"She _was_ a former member of the Huntsclan after all." She glared hard at Merry and continued, "Did you at least give her the information?"

"Yes," grumbled Merry, "I gave it to her."

"Hmm... Then I suppose you're not completely useless," mused Chang.

Merry bristled. "Watch it Chang," he growled, "If you want to keep that old hide of yours."

Chang stared back at him, unconcerned by the threat. "It is you who should 'watch it'," she said in a warning tone. "Do not forget who you're dealing with, goblin."

Merry glared at her, about to make a smart reply, but seemed to change his mind and said instead, "Well, we were promised good pay whether we got the dragon-huntsgirl or not. We held up our end of the deal. I expect you to do the same." Behind him, the other goblins shifted, tense and alert for any sign of trouble.

"Calm yourself." said Chang, "You will have what you deserve soon enough."

"So where is it then?" asked Merry, growing impatient.

Just then, he noticed movement behind Chang. Another pair of eyes, deep red this time, stared out at him.

Chang followed his gaze, and turned back to him and said, "Ah, yes, I'd almost forgotten. You haven't met my master's new apprentice, have you?"

Chang stood to one side, as the figure stepped forward into the light. It was another dragon, male this time, tall and thin with bright red scales and gold scales down his chest and belly.

Merry stared at him in shock; surely this couldn't be the same dragon? But, apart from the star-shaped burn on this dragon's chest, there was no mistaking him.

"The- the American Dragon?! _That's_ his new apprentice?!"

"Indeed," said Chang, not bothering to hide the smugness in her voice. She seemed pleased at the slight tremble in the goblin's voice, and the look of shock and fear in his eyes.

Then her eyes narrowed, her tone dropping to a sinister growl. "Now, about your _payment_..."

Jake gave them an evil sneer, then snapped his claws. Suddenly, a ring of shades appeared all around the goblins, cutting off every escape!

"What's going on here, Chang?!" snapped Merry.

It was Jake who answered. "Kill them."

Chang smiled wickedly, watching the goblins tighten their group, bracing themselves for the shades' attack-- but the shades didn't move.

Her smile faded, as seconds, then a whole minute passed, and still the shades did nothing. Then she glanced at Jake, and saw the younger dragon looking at her expectantly.

"I'm sorry, were you directing that at _me_?", she stared, puzzled. There was a slight edge to her voice, as though she knew perfectly well to whom Jake had spoken.

"I'm looking at you, aren't I?" growled Jake. He jerked his head at the cowering goblins. "Kill them."

Chang glared hard at the boy, but he stood his ground, matching her glower with one of his own. Her voice dropped with fury. "And just who do you think you are to order me about, _boy_?", she seethed venomously.

"Our Master ordered it," said Jake, his tone flat and final. "_You_ are to kill them."

The silence that followed was like the calm before the storm. Both dragons staring each other down.

Meanwhile, inside the circle, one of Merry's bodyguards whispered to him, "Uh, Boss? Shouldn't we be makin' a run for it right about now?"

"For once, I think you're right," said Merry. The crime boss turned to his gang. "OK boys. On the count of three, we make a break for it. Ready?... One... Two... THREE!"

The goblins suddenly charged the ring, lashing out at shades in all directions!

Chang and Jake both jerked their heads around. Chang snarled furiously as she saw the mayhem.

"Now see what you've done?!" she roared.

"What I've done?!" snarled Jake, "If you'd have followed orders this wouldn't be happening!"

A deafening roar shook from the nearby warehouse, causing the shades and the two dragons to freeze instantly. The goblins took the opportunity to run down the nearest ally as fast as their legs could take them.

The Dark Dragon stalked out of the warehouse, livid with rage. His claws curled into fists and his eyes blazed. Jake and Chang both seemed to wither under his murderous gaze as he towered over them.

"I give you _one_ simple task and leave you alone for five minutes and _THIS_ is what I come back to find?!" he snarled.

"But- but Master it wasn't my fault! It was-" stuttered Chang.

"Silence!" roared the Dark Dragon. "I'll have none of your excuses!"

Then, calming down slightly, he turned to look at Jake and asked, "Were you successful in your mission?"

"Yes, Master," said Jake, kneeling before the black dragon. "Lao Shi has been slain."

"Excellent," sneered the evil dragon. "With her master out of the way, Huntsgirl will be easy prey for us."

"_What?!_" cried Chang, outraged, "Lao Shi is dead?! By the claw of this whelp?! But _**I**_ wanted to kill him!"

She stopped abruptly, as the the Dark Dragon snarled furiously, rounding on her. She cowered as his eyes bore into hers, overwhelmed by his fury.

Chang lowered her gaze, unable to face her dark master.

The moment passed; the black dragon turned away from the cowering dragoness, facing Jake.

"You have your next mission," he said. "I will remain here. Do not disturb me until you have completed your task."

Then he turned to enter the warehouse, but stopped and glared back at Chang. "I will deal with you later," he growled menacingly, "but until then, find those goblins. The shades will accompany you to see that they are properly disposed of."

He turned, whirling once more upon the dragoness. "Do not fail me yet again, my servant," he said coolly, and disappeared back into the shadows of the building's interior.

Haughtily, Jake shot Chang a nasty sneer, then slunk past her into the alley.

Still fuming, the old dragoness spread her wings and took flight, following the tracks of the frightened, escaped goblins. The shades melted back into the shadows, slithering along below her.

............................................................................................................................................................

Merry quickly glanced around the next corner, the darted to the cover of the closest warehouse. During the escape, he'd been separated from the rest of his gang. Soon lost in the maze of buildings and back alleys, he could hear the started cries of his fellow goblins, suddenly cut off as the shades and Chang silently carried out their ruthless task.

A shadow sped past in the corner of his vision. The goblin whirled around, but could see nothing there. His heart pounding, Merry slowly backed away, keeping his eyes on the place where the shadow had been.

It was then that he noticed another shadow fall across him from behind. As an icy chill crept down his spine, he slowly turned around with dread. Chang reared up before him, a huge turret of fire blasting from her muzzle! The goblin's scream of terror echoed through the back allies, then, silence.


	13. Chapter 13 Deathwatch

Fireheart:

Chapter 13: Deathwatch

It took another hour before Rose and Fu Dog made it back to Lao Shi's store. With each passing moment, Rose's feeling of dread increased. She _knew_ that something terrible had happened. They entered the shop to find it in turmoil, the signs of battle still clearly visible.

"No!" Fearing the worst, Rose tore into the back room, ignoring Fu Dog's yelp as she knocked him flat in her haste. The sight before her made her stop dead in her tracks. Lao Shi was lying motionless and pinned beneath a fallen shelf, his body scorched and covered in burns.

"Gramps!" She was at his side in an instant, using all her strength to remove the rubble from around his battered form. Once he was free, she gently rolled the old dragon onto his back, supporting his head with her arm as she felt for a pulse. It was there, weak and erratic, but there, and he was still breathing. He was still alive, but only just...

"Come on Lao Shi," pleaded Rose, "wake up. You have to, please!" She shook him, gently, then turned to toward Fu Dog, who was standing beside her. "Fu, get some healing potions, anything!"

"_No._" The voice was weak, but firm, as a whithered blue claw gently touched her face. Rose looked down, to see the old dragon gazing up at her with clouded eyes. "Rose..." he whispered, "You're alive- AGHHH!" The claw suddenly flew to his chest, clutching it as a spasm of pain shot through him. Rose held him until it had passed, anger raging in her heart as she saw the terrible burn that scored the old man's chest, as if lightening had struck there.

When it was over, Gramps was shaking and gasping for breath, but he held the young slayer's gaze. "Listen- you must listen to me, Rose." he gasped, "Find Jake-" He snarled as another spasm took him, the light already fading from his eyes...

"No, Gramps, come on stay with me!" Rose clung to the old dragon, a look of utter despair on her face. "Fu! Help me!"

"I can't..." said Fu, looking at her with sad eyes, "He's too far gone. No even my strongest potions can save him now."

"No... Lao Shi! No!" Tears streamed from her eyes as she looked down at him. He met her gaze, and for a moment his eyes seemed to clear. He seized her hand in a tight grip.

"Promise me." his voice was so faint, she could barely hear him. "Promise me that you will find Jake. Save him Rose... Save my grandson..."

Rose gentle squeezed his claw. "I will." she said firmly, "I will save him, I promise."

She didn't know if he'd heard her, but his eyes now stared at something beyond her. He lay back against her arm, and his eyes closed, as his claw slipped from her grasp.

"Lao Shi!" called Rose, alarm coursing through her, "Lao Shi! Gramps-"

_Rose! _

At that moment, she felt a presence in her mind. She had only felt him once before, but knew him instantly.

_Rose! Can you hear me?!_

_Jake?!_

_Rose! Aw man! You can't believe how glad I am to hear you!_

_Jake what happened? Where are you?!_

In answer, images flashed in her mind. Lao Shi's store, then out over the city, past landmarks they both knew, and ending with a dark alleyway.

_I don't have much time... You have to find me... hurry... _His thoughts sounded faint, as if he were straining so that she could hear them. She felt urgency from him, pain, and a deep fear...

_Jake hang on! I'll find you! I promise!_

_Rose... please- AGHHH! _A sudden blast of pain from him, a roar of fury in her mind, a cold, dark presence, cruel laughter echoing, then- nothing...

_Jake?! JAKE!!! _Again she called to him with her mind. But there was no reply. He was gone.

* * *

Meanwhile...

Fu Dog sadly turned away from his old friend's body, sniffing as he tried to get himself under control. Though deeply saddened by the loss, he knew this was no time for grieving. They had to find out who had done this. At least that might help them find Jake, and so fulfill his grandfather's dying wish.

Just then, a very familiar scent came to the old dog. He sniffed again, closing his eyes as he tried to place the smell. He knew it from somewhere, or someone...

_Huh..._ he thought, _brimstone,_ _wood smoke and hair gel with a touch of burnt rubber... _He began going through his mental list of people he knew and the scents associated with them. Spud and Trixie where soon ruled out. It wasn't Rose either. He could smell her pine-needle and flower scent quite well, and underneath those, a reminder of her Huntsclan past, the faint scent of cold steel and old blood...

It was closer to Lao Shi's scent, Fu decided. The dragon identifying brimstone-and-wood-smoke, mixed with old parchment and the smell of coming rain. _So it's definitely a dragon,_ thought the old Sher Pi, _If only Jake were here, he knows a lot about hair gel_- chuckle- _he should, considering how much that kid puts in his hair-_

The answer hit Fu Dog like a ton of bricks.

_JAKE! That's it! Why didn't I notice it sooner?! _Imminently the old dog opened his eyes, moving around on all fours as he followed the scent. It was fresh, only an hour or two old at most. A feeling of unease began to gnaw at Fu's insides as he continued to search. Jake's scent was different from the boy he knew, and the hint of charged ozone it carried did little to quell the beginnings of suspicion forming in the Sher Pi's mind. There was fear and anger in the scents as well. It hung heavy in the air like a poison fog.

So engrossed was he in these thoughts, that it took Fu Dog a whole five minutes before he realized that Jake's scent had led him through the front room, into the back room again, and straight back to Lao Shi's body. _This isn't good,_ he thought. He sniffed again, noticing how the scent was strongest right in front of where Gramps had been found. But then he noticed something odd. The scent he was following, seemed to be coming _from_ the old dragon, or at least, from something right next to him. Fu went over and studied his old friend. One of Lao Shi's claws lay on his chest, where it had fallen from Rose's hand; but the other lay on the floor next to him, curled into a tight fist. It seemed to be clutching something...

Fu Dog slowly approached, somehow knowing what he would find, dreading it all the more, and praying that he was wrong. He carefully uncurled Lao Shi's talons, his eyes once more brimming with sadness, as the scrap of bright red fabric confirmed his fears.

He quickly turned with the scrap in his paw, intent on showing it to Rose- only to find that he was alone.

"Rose?" he called. "Rose?! Come on kid, where are you?!" There was no answer. It was if she had simply vanished into thin air.

Fu slapped a paw to his head, as he growled in frustration.

"Darn ninjas! How do they do that?!"

* * *

Hey people! I am sooo sorry about not posting sooner! :( I've been getting used to my first term at college. But the good news is that my finals are now over! :D Until Spring term at least... Anyway, I'll try to make up for your long wait with two more new (and hopefully longer) chapters this week. :) Happy Hoildays!


	14. Chapter 14 Light Through the Darkness

Fireheart:

Chapter 14: Light through the Darkness

Rose looked around as she cautiously entered the darkened alley. Still being unable to fly due to her shoulder, she'd turned her hunting staff into a hoverboard. Even then, it took her nearly an hour and a half before she'd found the right alleyway.

Movement nearby snapped her out of these thoughts. She wasn't alone here. "Eye of the dragon" she whispered, carefully scanning the area. A tall, thin shape caught her eye. Switching to night vision brought out the colors, though with a heavy blue tint. Gold and bright red, the black seven-pointed star still clearly visible. She almost didn't want to believe it, until he spoke her name: "Rose."

"Jake!" In that moment, her grief was all but forgotten. So overjoyed was she to see him that she threw cation to the winds, rushing forward to hug him. He stiffened for a moment, as if in surprise, but then his arms came around her and he returned the hug.

Rose closed her eyes, burying her face against his scaly neck, feeling that now, somehow things would be alright. Jake said nothing, only stroking her hair as he held her close. No words were spoken, for none were needed, or so Rose thought...

If only she had noticed the strange glint in Jake's eyes, or the sly, cruel smile that played across his face as he held her...

If only she had noticed the shadows suddenly deepening around them...

If only she had noticed the glowing red eyes that slowly circled them, coming closer and closer...

"_KID! GET OUT OF THERE!!!_"

Rose's eyes snapped open as she hastily pulled away from Jake. A look of shock and anger flashed across his face as he glared at something behind her.

Rose turned to see what he was looking at, not yet seeing the shade demons lying in wait on either side of them...

Fu Dog was running towards her as fast as his short legs could carry him. "Jake!" He cried, wheezing as exhaustion caught up with him, "It was Jake! _Jake killed Gramps!_"

"_What?!_" Sure she had heard him wrong, Rose came over to the old Sher Pi , kneeling down in front of him. "What did you just say?"

"Jake," panted Fu Dog, glaring up at the young dragon, who had come to stand behind Rose. "_Jake_ killed Lao Shi."

"Fu, calm down." said Rose, her voice shaking, though with dread or shock, she couldn't tell which. "You- you're just confused. You don't know what you're saying!" She felt numb all over, even as alarm bells went off in her head. _Jake is the killer?! No- no it can't be true! _She shook her head. She didn't want to believe it.

"What are you talking about?" Jake asked, sounding confused.

"You know perfectly well, murder!" snapped the old dog, "Gramps is _dead_ because of you!"

"Fu! That's _enough_!" snarled Rose, her temper rising. But even as she spoke, an icy chill ran down her spine. Fu Dog would _never_ accuse Jake of something like this. Something was wrong here. _Very _wrong.

"Look Fu." said Jake, annoyance clear in his voice. "Even if Gramps is dead, what could possibly make you think I did it?"

No grief in his voice, he didn't even sound surprised over learning that Lao Shi had been killed.

"This." said Fu Dog, holding up a scrap of bright red fabric. "It's a piece from your jacket. Gramps was holding it when he died, and your scent was all over the crime scene!"

"One scrap of cloth doesn't prove anything." growled Jake, as his eyes flashed dangerously.

"Are you sure that's Jake's?" asked Rose. She took the fabric from him and looked at it closely.

"Rose," said Jake, softly, "you don't _really _believe this, do you?" He laid a claw on her arm.

Fu Dog snarled, jumping between them. "Get away from her!"

The red dragon glowered down at him, but Rose gently pushed Fu Dog aside, getting up and holding the cloth out to Jake. "There's only one way to know for sure." she said firmly. "Show me your jacket."

"Alright, fine. I have nothing to hide." Jake said casually. Almost _too_ casually. Rose could've sworn she heard a slight purr in his voice. He returned to human form, spreading his arms out so they could get a good look at him.

Rose studied him, but couldn't see anything amiss- until she spotted the tear in his sleeve. Jake's cocky smile vanished, as he saw what she was looking at, and as she held the scrap up against the rip. It was a perfect match.

Rose had no time to react. Instantly Jake was back in dragon form, his claw slamming her against a nearby trash can! Just as he raised his claw to strike again, Fu Dog lunched himself at it, sinking his teeth in! Jake yowled in pain and bashed the old dog against the other wall. The Sher Pi lost his hold and fell to the ground.

Rose looked franticly around, and saw her staff lying at the far end of the alleyway, where she'd dropped it in her carelessness. Just then, the shade demons swarmed out of hiding to attack! She fought them off as best she could, trying desperately to reach it, but Jake tackled her first. She rolled onto her back, raising her hands in a defensive position- only to have a blinding white flash shoot out her palms!

Jake screamed as the light burned his eyes, rearing back and allowing Rose to kick him off her. The shades vanished like smoke as the light hit them. In that instant, Fu Dog grabbed Rose's sleeve in his mouth, dragging her away as he muttered, "Come on kid! Let's get outta here!"

She quickly got to her feet and ran after him, not daring to look back. They didn't stop running until they were good and lost inside the maze of back alleys. Only then did Fu Dog let her rest, pulling her into a large cardboard box hidden behind some dumpters. They were both roughed up a bit, and Fu had a sprained front paw, but were otherwise none the worse for the wear.

As soon as they'd both caught their breath, the Animal Guardian rounded on her. "What the heck was that?!" he cried.

"What?" asked Rose, clutching a stitch in her side.

"That! Back there with your hands and the lights and the _whoosh _and the all that_..._" said Fu Dog, making gestures with his uninjured paw. Rose cocked a weary eyebrow at him, not getting of word of that.

He frowned, then said more slowly, "What was with the freaky light show coming out of your hands?!"

The slayer shook her head. "I have no idea. But whatever it was, I think it saved our lives."

* * *

_Meanwhile..._

Jake finally opened his eyes. Now that the blindness had worn off, he could see that both Rose and Fu Dog were gone. Jake snarled in anger, slamming his fist into the wall. The Dark Dragon was _not_ going to like this.

* * *

Hey all! Sorry for not updating sooner, but my second semester of college has started and my first tests and coming up. Well, that and a case of writer's block. This chapter was actually a pain to write, if only because I'd written the next chapter first and couldn't seem to get the mood for this one quite right.

Anyway, like? don't like? Please feel free to let me know. As for those of you who have been wondering about the podcast. I have some good news, and some bad news. The bad news: the podcast is currently broken. The good news: It's getting fixed! Yay! I'll be sure to let you all know as soon as it's back online.


	15. Chapter 15 Battle Scars

Fireheart

Chapter 15: Battle Scars

_The Dark Dragon stood overlooking the scene of battle below, watching with fiendish pleasure as his loyal follows cut their way through the white dragon's meager forces... This day had been long in coming, and her defeat was inevitable... There! There she was! Fighting in the midst of the chaos. With a sneer of certain victory on his reptilian face, he made his way through the carnage towards her... _

_An eerie silence fell over the battleground as he confronted her. All around them the fighting ceased as the other creatures turned to witness that final battle... _

_The battle between the two that followed was unlike any that come before, with each bringing all of their power and skill to bare on the other. Despite the armor that both of them wore, the ferocity with with they fought was no less terrifying, nor their battle any less dangerous. _

_She fought valiantly, but even her might was not enough to defeat him. Now he had her, wounded at his feet with no hope of escape. The braver of her fighters came forward to protect her, but she ordered them back. The fool. Even as she faced death, she would not risk her fighters' lives to save herself. He stared down at her, wanting to savor this moment, to see the despair and hopelessness in her eyes before he killed her. _

_But her gaze was strong and fierce. Her eyes blazing with a fire that pierced into his very soul. And for the first time in his life, he felt truly afraid... _

_He forced himself to ignore that fear, and summoned all his dark power, focusing it into a final blast of energy! But even as that blast left his claws, he saw the dragoness counter it with a blast of her own power. The two huge bolts collided! The black dragon raised his arms in front of his face to shield his eyes, but even then the explosion of light and heat seared them, nearly blinding him. The shock-wave that followed knocked him clear off his feet and continued to spread outward, knocking solders to the ground and bowling over tents at the nearby encampments._

_When he opened his eyes, it was to find himself lying on the ground at least 5 feet from where he'd been standing. As the smoke cleared, he could see other creatures picking themselves off the ground. But there was only one creature his eyes sought... _

_He saw her lying a few yards away, and went over to her. She stared up at him, a dazed expression on her face as he towered over her. _

"_...Erebus?"_

"_That name is know longer mine, Iris." he growled menacingly, "I have made myself a new name."_

"_Yes, I know what they call you, **brother**." There was contempt in her voice as she spoke, but something else as well... Sorrow? Regret? _

_The Dark Dragon felt his gut wrench at those words, anger boiling inside him. After all of this, she still dared to call him by that title. But even more infuriating was the undercurrent of pity in her voice. Here she was, about to meet her death, and yet she pitied him!_

"_I am not your brother." The words were cold and final, "He died at your hand long ago."_

_Iris slowly began to push herself up, but her eyes never left those of the black dragon in front of her. _

"_No Erebus." Her voice was firm, as if she could make her words true by sheer force of will, "Nothing will ever change that. You are **still** my brother." _

"_YOU ARE NO SISTER OF MINE!" _

_The roar tore from his throat as he backhanded her in fury. She cried out as the blow struck her face, falling to the ground once more. He attacked again, aiming a vicious kick at her side. A sneer crossed his face as a sickening crack told that he'd struck her ribs. _

_She roared in pain, rolling away from him and struggling to her knees. She looked up at him again, staring into his hate-filled eyes as tears streamed from her own. Her expression seemed to soften then, her voice quiet, almost pleading, as she gasped, "It's not too late... Erebus... brother... there is still time to stop this.. to save yourself-" She broke off, her body racked by a coughing fit. The Dark Dragon's sneer widened. They both knew what that meant. One of the broken ribs had punctured her lung. _

_When it was over, she turned her bloodied muzzle towards him, opening her mouth to speak again, only to be taken by another spasm of coughing. He waited until it had passed before answering, "I'm not the one who needs saving, **dear** Iris. You had your chance. You could have joined me, so that we might rule this world together! But you were weak! You chose to fight against me! Now you will pay the price." He came over to her, seized her shoulder in a vice-like grip, and lifted her clear off the ground. He pulled back his claw, as lightening gathering around it for the final blow, and stared deep into her dark blue eyes. "And now," he said smugly, "now my dear sister, I will end this." _

_A terrible sadness filled her eyes, and he heard her whisper, so faint he could barely make it out... "Forgive me..." _

_The pain that struck him was worse then anything he had ever felt before, as if she had plunged a white-hot spear through his heart! Eyes wide in shock and agony, he looked into her eyes, blazing white with power, then down at his chest, and her claw, also blazing, pressed flat against it. _

"_What-what are you doing?!" He could barely get the words out. The pain- he was sure he would die from it, but he didn't... A blinding light flashed in the corner of his eye, and he looked behind him. At first he thought that a second sun had appeared in the sky, only much closer, but then he realized that he could see **through** it! Not a star, or sun, but a tear! A rip in the very sky itself, a portal! For a moment, the pain intensified, and he roared in anguish, then he saw something... a deep blackness that took a winged shape, almost like a dragon... This wraith, shadow, whatever it was, fled into the portal and both vanished as suddenly as they had appeared. _

_The next moment he was on his knees, his sister lying motionless before him. He was still alive. But why? Why hadn't she killed him? He knew with her power that she was more then capable of doing so, just as he was. He looked down, then tore off his smoking and ruined breastplate. She'd burned a hole clean through it. Then slowly, painfully, he moved on all fours until he was beside her head. How she was still alive after all this, he didn't know, but she would die soon. They both knew her wounds were fatal... _

"_What have you done?!" he hissed in pain._

"_I've taken your powers... brother..." Her voice was faint, each breath sounded like a death rattle. "Sealed them away... You won't find them..."_

_A look of shock and anger crossed his face for a moment, but then was replaced by sly cunning. He leaned closer, so that only she could hear. "You should have slain me, Iris." He hissed in her ear. "You should have slain me, but you've only proven once more how very weak you are. But rest assured, sister..." He paused, and looked straight into her eyes. "Your family will pay dearly for your mistake."_

_Her eyes grew wide with fear and horror, making him chuckle darkly, his own eyes shining in triumph._

"_No... Erebus- you can't-" _

"_Yes!" he crowed, raising his voice, "Your human mate, your child. They will suffer, and you will die with their blood on your hands!" _

"_NO!" _

_Her scream was music to his ears. He reared back, roaring in victory and giving his most evil of laughs! _

_An arrow suddenly buried itself in his shoulder! He clutched at the barbed shaft, snarling in pain and stumbled back. Looking up, he saw an elven warrior with a plumed helmet and drawn bow glowering back at him. It was his sister's second-in-command, once their childhood friend. The arrow which the black dragon now clutched was no doubt this warrior's. The elf pointed his bow skyward and loosed, and the Dark Dragon looked higher up, suddenly finding himself unable to move as more arrows fell toward him like a black rain of death-_

The black dragon sat bolt upright, gasping heavily for breath. He rubbed at the shoulder where the arrow had been, carefully feeling the long-healed scar, now invisible against his death black scales. Reassured that it was gone, and that he was now awake, he quickly glanced around, breathing deeply to slow the rapid pounding of his heart. All was still and quite in the warehouse. The shades were nowhere to be seen. Not that it mattered, they would come at his summons, as they always did.

The Dark Dragon's gaze suddenly fell upon Chang, who stood in the corner nearby. She stared at him with a look he couldn't read. How long had she been standing there? Had she seen his moment of weakness while the dream had taken his mind? He had no way of knowing.

He gave her his fiercest glare, slowly gathering his scattered thoughts. Yes- he had been deep in meditation, awaiting news from the American Dragon if their trap had gone as planned. The bond between the boy and his precious huntress was still strong, despite the evil now poisoning the young dragon's heart. It had been a simple matter for him to contact her mind through a meditative state, and then for the Dark Dragon to cut off the link at the right moment. It was a back-up plan, though one he resented using. Still, he'd had a feeling those goblin thugs would fail to capture Rose, so he had given the crime lord information to bait the girl, and then had Jake call her and set the trap. She had escaped him too often already. He was through taking chances.

_I must have dozed off after that._ He thought, _Strange... that hasn't happened in years._ That nightmare- that memory, he hadn't had it for centuries. Yet here it was, plaguing his mind once again, as it had done nearly every night since his return to the mortal realm. The scene still burned in his mind as clear as the day it had happened. He had escaped that barrage of arrows, pulled to safety by his own second-in-commands, even as they sounded the retreat. He had dealt with them afterward.

His sister had died of her wounds mere moments after he had been dragged away. Once the healers had seen to his injuries, the black dragon had taken his best followers and made his way to his sister's dwelling in the dead of night. They had trapped the human male and the child inside, cutting off every escape, and then he had personally burned it to the ground. The mere thought of it made him spit fire in disgust. Not only had she consented to take one of those loathsome creatures as her mate, but she had chosen to live in one of their puny wooden dens. Although, he thought with a smirk, _that_ particular choice had only made his revenge all the easier... Nothing could have survived the inferno. He had made certain of that.

A sharp stab of pain suddenly broke through his thoughts! It took him a few moments to realize that it wasn't his. Quickly searching his mind, he felt the American Dragon's consciousness. The young dragon was in pain, bewildered, and- from what the Dark Dragon could sense- severely ticked off.

_What happened?! _Snarled the evil creature, directing his thoughts at Jake.

He felt the other's clear frustration as the answer was shot back, _Gah! She got away from me! It was all that dumb mutt's fault!_ _He knew! Somehow he knew and he came yelling it to her right when I almost had her!_ _Then she shot this light out of her hands and blinded me._ _When I could see again, she and the dog were gone. _These last two sentences came as a pouting grumble. Apparently, Jake's ego had been hurt as well as his eyes.

An slow chuckle escaped the Dark Dragon. He wasn't sure whether to be amused by the young one's whining, or outraged that he had failed the mission. Then the young dragon's words sank in.

_What?! _He snarled, _What do you mean 'light shot out of her hands'?!_

Jake didn't answer, instead allowing the elder dragon access to the memory.

As the Dark Dragon watched, memories of his own began to surface. Memories of his sister... the ancient battle from his nightmares... the Huntsgirl in her dragon form... his first battle with her...

_No, _he thought,_ it couldn't be... and yet..._

But he was quick to hide these memories and uncertain thoughts before Jake could sense them. An unfortunate side effect of the mind-sight was that it worked both ways. He could see into Jake's mind, but Jake could also see into _his_, if he let his guard down and the boy decided to snoop, as was the case now. He could tell that the younger dragon was bored, and quickly growing impatient.

He let out a warning growl, and Jake instantly stopped his prying. After a few more moment's thought, the black dragon growled, _You have failed me._ _But here is a chance to redeem yourself. Bring to me the Huntsgirl's twin sister. I want her alive and unharmed. Capture the others if they get in your way, I will dispose of them myself. Chang will go with you. I want no mistakes this time. __**Is that clear? **_

_Yes, Master,_ came the grudging reply. Then the Dark Dragon broke the connection with Jake, and turned his attention to Chang.

"The boy failed to capture his huntress." he growled, "I am sending him to bring me her twin sister, as bait. You are to accompany him to see that all goes as planned. No mistakes, Chang. Do you understand?"He glared into her eyes as he spoke, as if daring her to challenge him. She met his gaze, and for an instant, he thought he saw the tiniest hint of defiance in her eyes. But then it was gone, her face was blank, and she ducked her head in submission.

"Of course, my Master." she said, bowing slightly. She turned to leave, then stopped and asked, "Master? What of the others? If they should interfere?"

"Capture them." he said simply, "I will deal with them myself." With that, Chang left the warehouse, all the while feeling the Dark Dragon's gaze on her back.

Only when she was well out of his sight did she allow the worry and frustration to escape with a sigh. Yes, she had seen her master's weakness when the dream had come. And she had seen it often lately. It troubled her greatly to see him in that state, but she didn't dare reveal that she knew. She knew all too well how deadly his wrath could be.

He never spoke of his past, to her or anyone else. But from his distress while the nightmare claimed him, she was slowly beginning to piece things together. This "Iris", this sister of his, was someone her master feared terribly. But why should he fear her? Surely she must be long dead by now? Dragons lived nearly as long as humans, at least now a days. Yet, by all accounts, the Dark Dragon had lived for centuries, without any signs of aging. Could his sister have somehow survived by similar methods? Was she nearby? Somehow a threat to the Dark Dragon's power?

Chang shook herself out of these thoughts. She had no time to dwell on them now, Jake would be waiting for her to catch up. _Jake..._ she thought with a snarl.

It had been bad enough when that impudent hatchling was training under Lao Shi's care, and the other Council members would not heed her warnings about the boy. It had been bad enough that he had earned favor with the Council after saving them from the Huntsclan, granted, she was glad not to have been slain, but that was beside the point. It had been bad enough when the boy had refused the Dark Dragon's offer to join them in conquest of the human race, and with the help of those very creatures and magical allies, defeated the pair of them. But _now_, with the young dragon taken by the dark magic, as her master was, now with the Soul-Bind in place and he earning favor with their dark master, it was _worse_. Much worse.

_How could the Dark Dragon do this to me?!_ Raged Chang, grinding her teeth, and clenching her fists in fury. _She_ was his most loyal! _She_ had been with him as long as she could remember! _She_ had risked everything acting as his spy from within the Dragon Council! How _dare_ he toss her aside as if all those years of faithful servitude meant nothing! Calming down slightly, she took flight to rendezvous with the red whelp.

As she flew, Chang thought back over all that had happened. It had been so simple at first. Her dark master had sent his shades to spy on the American Dragon, find a weakness that they could exploit, and take revenge on the boy and his grandfather. The shade had returned with a photograph of Jake and his huntress, Rose. The Dark Dragon had then broken Chang out of prison and had sent his shades to capture the girl as bait. When that had failed, they had been ordered to capture all of Jake's family, to break the young dragon's spirit as he failed to save them. Finally, they had succeeded in capturing Jake himself, after the boy had offered his life in exchange for Rose's. Chang smirked at that, remembering how Jake had pleaded for her to spare the girl's life. She had done so, merely humoring the boy. She had planned to come back and finish Rose later. Looking back now, Chang was wishing she had just killed the girl right then and there. Perhaps it would have saved her the misery she was currently in.

It had been going so well after that. Her master was the process of "persuading" the American Dragon to join their cause or suffer death along with his companions and family, when that girl had shown up again. The Huntsgirl no less! And then the battle had followed, the girl's dragon powers had revealed themselves, and then the portal incedent... _Yes,_ thought Chang, _that was when the trouble started._

Chang had never seen power like that before, but her master seemed to recognize it, if the terror in his face had been anything to go by. That was strange. She had never seen the Dark Dragon afraid of anything, _ever_. He had been acting strangely ever since. First placing the Soul-Bind on the American Dragon, even though _she_ would have volunteered, had she been asked. Although, in hindsight she could see why the American Dragon had been chosen. He was younger and strong, and would give her master more power because of it. She, though still powerful in her old age, wasn't as fit. Also, there was the fact that her master had taken an interest in the boy.

What confused her most was the Dark Dragon's recent interest in Jake's girlfriend. Ever since the event with the portal he had been using Jake to either try to kill or capture the girl.

Chang shook herself again. She was becoming lost in these thoughts when she needed to focus. Jake was hovering just ahead, waiting for her. He smirked when he saw her.

"Took you long enough." he sneered. "You ready to go, old timer? I'll fly _slow_ so you can keep up."

The elder dragoness bristled, giving him a death glare. At that moment she would've liked nothing more then to throttle the brat. Instead she settled for zooming past him, spinning him in mid-air and giving him a hard smack behind the head with her tail as she did so. When Jake finally regained his balance, he shook himself and took off after her. It was all he could do just to keep up.

Chang didn't even bother slowing down for him. Only stopping when she grew tired, she finally let him catch up. He shot her a nasty glower, too out of breath to speak. She ignored the look, and let him take the lead as they continued. Let him think he's in charge for now. She would wait, and deal with him soon enough.

Lao Shi's death by his grandson's claw had been the final insult.


	16. Chapter 16 To Catch a Huntress

Fireheart:

Chapter 16: Part 1: To Catch a Huntress

Violet slowly opened her eyes, wincing at the throbbing pain in her head. She carefully felt the spot where she'd been hit. As her vision cleared, she began to remember what had happened.

Sun and Haley had come to their house and told them what the others had found out about Jake. Spud and Trixie had come with them. 88 and 89 had shone up a short time later, saying that Lao Shi had dismissed them for the day. Apparently the two boys had somehow managed to break Lao's priceless Ming Dynasty vase, twice.

As the afternoon dragged on into evening, it was decided amongst them that there wasn't much they could until Rose came back from her search, so they settled down to wait for word of her return. But it wasn't Rose who blasted through the upstairs window...

There had been no time to react. Chang had knocked out Spud and Trixie both with one hit. Shade demons had subdued Violet's parents, 88 and 89 had run screaming and hid in a closet at the first sight of dragons, but no one was prepared for when Jake Long swooped out of the smoke filled air to confront Sun and Haley...

Haley was completely frozen in shock, unable to move. It was Sun's leap in front of her to take Jake's attack that snapped the little dragon out of it. She spat fire at Jake to drive him away from the injured dragoness, then both Sun and Haley had attacked him!

But it was all in vain. Jake easily deflected and countered their combined attacks. It was in that moment that he said something which made their blood run cold.

"_You call this a fight? Ha! Even Gramps put up more of a struggle then this!"_

The realization of what he was saying, what he was claiming, had been too much to take in. Haley had stalled in mid-flight, dropping to the floor like a stone. Sun caught her, but was too late to dodge the lightning bolt that blasted from Jake's palm. Both were out cold before they hit the ground.

Through all of this, Violet had been fighting off the shades, powerless to do anything for the others. And then it was over, and Jake and Chang were coming for her. She fought as best she could against them, but they only sneered triumphantly at her, humoring her struggles as they cornered her. And then her back was to a wall. One strike from Jake talons, and everything went black...

_Was that really Jake? _She thought, her mind coming back to the present,_ What happened to him? And for that matter- where am I? _She carefully sat up as the throbbing faded, and tried to get a good look at her surroundings.

The first thing she noticed was that it was dark. So dark that she could barely see her hand in front of her face, or at least it would've been, if not for the bright glow of the crackling lightning that danced before her eyes. At first glance, the vertical rod of energy did resemble a lightning bolt, but it never moved from that position, and didn't disappear, even as it sparked and writhed like an angry serpent.

Tearing her gaze away from it, Violet found that there were more of the strange rods placed in a circle around her, each with sparks branching off from both sides to connect them to the rest. Then she looked up, saw that the bolts of energy crossed each other over her head and finally realized their significance.

A cage.

Glancing beyond the cage, she could barely make out the interior of a long narrow building. A raftered ceiling dotted with fire sprinklers, a bare, cold floor that felt like concrete. There were boarded up windows and doors with tiny shafts of moonlight seeping through, and large wooden crates stacked and scattered around the place. A warehouse, long abandoned from the looks of it.

Movement caught her eye then. A deeper patch of darkness in the shadows. The presence as it drew near felt huge and menacing, an aura of terrible power surrounding it. Violet gasped, as the large, glowing red eyes came level with her face. In the light from her cage, the young human was able to see more of her visitor. It didn't take long to realize who it was. They stared at each other in silence as he studied her. Finally, the black dragon pulled his nightmarish gaze away from her face and began circling the cage, though his predatory eyes never left her.

"It is a strange thing..." mused the Dark Dragon, looking her over as he moved, "you share you sister's face. So much so in fact, that I mistook you for her when you were first brought to me. It was only when my shades informed me of your sister's rescue by the American Dragon that I realized otherwise."

"You've never seen twins before?" Violet asked curiously. Despite her initial fear at seeing the black dragon again, she was puzzled by his behavior. There was no doubt that he was holding her as bait for Rose and the others, but why the sudden curiosity? Why was he speaking to her as if... as if... Violet tried to follow this train of thought. As if _what? _

For a moment, the Dark Dragon seemed taken aback by her question. A strange look came into his eyes. Finally, he said "Such births are- rare, among my kind. Even more so when the two are identical." The words were slow, uncertain, as if this topic was something he would rather avoid. He stopped circling, and looked away into the distance, seeming lost in thoughts. Then he said quietly, "I too had a twin. A sister, long ago..."

Violet didn't speak, not wanting to break the strange spell that seemed to have come over him. The black dragon's eyes where deeply troubled, his words straining, as if he was trying desperately to keep them from coming, but was no longer able to do so. But then he glanced back down at her, shook his head, and the spell was broken. For the fleetest of moments as she looked into those eyes, Violet thought he looked shaken. But it was gone a second later, and his eyes were filled once more with cold, sly malice.

The Dark Dragon then glanced behind him, looking at something Violet couldn't see. He gave a jerk with his head, gesturing for whatever it was to come forward. It turned out to be one of his shade demons. The shade was carrying what seemed to be a thick braid of black hair that glowed strangely in the darkness. It stopped a short distance from the cage and held up the braid so she could see it clearly.

The evil dragon looked at the strange braid, then at her, and asked, "Do you know what this is?"

"No." answered Violet honestly.

"It is sphinx hair." he explained, "It has a strange effect on dragons. When in the presence of a large among, it severely weakens them, no matter which form they take, almost to the point of death..." He let the sentence hang, then continued, "If a net is woven from it, its power will only effect a dragon who is entangled in the net, trapping them in human form as long as they remain there."

"Then, why are you showing it to me?" asked Violet, though she was certain she already knew.

He confirmed her guess by answering, "Now that your sister's powers have revealed themselves, she is vulnerable to its effect." His eyes narrowed as he fixed his gaze on her again. "Perhaps your appearance is not the only thing you share with her..."

The shade held the sphinx hair closer to her, but Violet didn't feel anything._ Guess I didn't get the dragon powers after all. _She thought, slightly disappointed. But then a plan began to take shape in her mind... She had noticed that the Dark Dragon seemed to back away from the hair, and he hadn't touched it. _He said that sphinx hair weakens dragons... Maybe I could..._

She staggered slightly, as if trying to back away from the braid, a look of bewildered shock on her face.

The Dark Dragon sneered with pleasure at this, glancing at the shade. It moved closer to her, holding the braid out.

Violet staggered again, worse this time. She swayed on the spot, her eyelids drooping. "Get... Get that away from me..." Her voice was weak, strained.

The shade came closer still...

She collapsed, struggling to push herself up again, but to no avail. The Dark Dragon laughed as the shade moved even closer and she went limp. She could barely seem to keep her eyes open.

Now the sphinx hair was mere inches away from her. Suddenly her eyes snapped open! With a fearsome yell, she grabbed the braid and punched the shade demon through the chest! It vanished like smoke.

Before the Dark Dragon had even moved, Violet ran to the bars of her cage and threw the sphinx braid directly at him! It hit him square in the face before landing right between his front claws.

He blinked in surprise, then glanced down at the hair. Violet waited, willing for something, _anything_, to happen. Nothing did.

Minutes passed, and then the Dark Dragon started to laugh. "Foolish child!" he said, looking back at her, "Did you really think it would be that easy?" He laughed again at the look on Violet's face, then continued, "But even if you do not share her powers, you do your sister proud. You have the same cunning."

"But- but why didn't it- ? You said that- " She couldn't even finish the sentences.

"Yesss" He crooned, "What I said of the sphinx hair was true. However, I have too grown to powerful for that. I am immune." To prove his point, he reached down and picked up the braid, holding it in his palm. After a few moments, he placed the sphinx hair against his chest scales, right over his heart.

Minutes went by, and still nothing happened. "You see, young one?" he said with a smirk, "It no longer effects me." He pulled the braid away, and tossed it to another shade nearby. But as he did so, Violet noticed something. The claw that had held the braid was shaking. Perhaps he wasn't as immune as he wanted her to believe...

* * *

Hi all! Yeah, I know, long time, no post. :( Well, writer's block and college classes starting again, what can I say? Anyway, for those of you who were upset by my "to be deleted" Author's Note awhile back, I would like to appologize for that.

What I meant was that the previous Author's Note about me looking for a Beta Reader was to be deleted, not the story itself. Therefore I'm sorry I didn't make that more clear, and for scaring you. :( Rest assured that I have no plan of ever deleting this story whatsoever. :)

In other news, you may have noticed that this chapter has a "part 1" in the title. The reason for this is because the second half of this chapter is taking far longer to write then I would have liked, and so I think it better to at least post a half-chapter then leave this blank for who-knows-how-much-longer. Anyway, hopefully Part 2 won't take too much longer to write (around homework and other things) and that I still have readers when I finally post it. :P lol jk! At least I hope you guys stick around, because it's finally getting to (what I consider) the good part. :)

Also, before I forget, here is the latest update on the podcast and a little something to tide you over til next chapter (This is also posted on my profile page.):

**Podcast News: **Unfortunently, _Save The Shows_ has now been discontinued do to a lack of audience. However, we are now working under the new name of _Cyberlight Productions_. The new website can be found here: **cyberlightproductions .com** (without the spaces)


	17. Chapter Preview! or Time Skip!

Fireheart:

Chapter 18: Enemy of My Enemy

Rose crouched, hidden in the pile of crates, hardly daring to even breath. Her heart was pounding so hard that she almost sure Jake could hear it. Peeking out through the gap she'd crawled into Rose saw a shadow pass over the another crate pile in front of her.

She waiting, praying that Jake would pass by quickly, and not find her. To her surprise, it wasn't Jake who appeared in front of the gap, but Chang. _What's she doing here?_ Thought Rose, _She's supposed to be guarding the others with the Dark Dragon. _

Rose silently cursed as the old female noticed the dropped hunting staff. Chang picked up the weapon, then glanced around, edging closer to Rose's hiding place. The slayer tried to move deeper into the shadows, but that movement caught Chang's attention.

Rose stayed perfectly still. Chang was staring right at her. Seconds passed and neither of them moved. For a fleeing moment, Rose thought that maybe she hadn't really been seen, but this hope was soon dashed as Chang came right up to the gap in the pile. She looked straight into the girl's eyes, and smirked.

"Lose something?" she hissed, indicating the staff.

The huntress merely closed her eyes with a sigh. _And here I thought Jake was all I had to worry about._

Speaking of Jake...

The sound of wing beats made them both glance upward. Chang hastily backed away from Rose's crate pile, sliding the staff into an open box nearby. She looked mildly annoyed as Jake landed in front of her.

"What are _you_ doing here?" he growled, "You're supposed to be guarding the prisoners."

"Our Master sent me to check on your progress." huffed Chang indignantly.

"I don't need a babysitter." the red dragon snapped.

"Believe me," said Chang, crossing her arms, "Nothing would please me more then to get as far away from you as possible."

"Well at least we agree on _something_." replied Jake, "Anyway, did you see Rose pass by here?"

Rose's breath caught in her throat. _This is it_, she thought, _Chang's going to tell him and then..._ She tried not to think about it.

"As a matter of fact, " said Chang, "I did."

Chang's eyes didn't even flicker to look at Rose as she pointed in the opposite direction and said calmly, "She went that way."

Jake took off without another word. When they could no longer hear his wing beats, Chang turned toward Rose and said, "Well, what are you waiting for? Get out here, before I change my mind."

Rose cautiously pulled herself out of the crate pile, staring at the dragoness with a mixture of suspicion and relief. "Why did you do that?" she asked, "You could've easily told him, or finished me off yourself for that matter."

"I didn't do it for you!" snapped Chang, "Or for him. I'd rather kiss a krylock then save either of you."

"Then why?"

Chang gave her a sour look, as if she'd just swallowed something extremely unpleasant, and muttered, "I did it because..." The rest was so jumbled together that it was incomprehensible.

"What did you just say?"

The look became, if possible, even more sour, as the words were forced out between gritted teeth. "_I... need... your... help..._"

Chang's look became a death glare as she concluded, "Do_NOT_make me repeat myself."

Rose cocked an eyebrow at her. "Alright, _why_ exactly do you need my help?"

The old dragoness sighed wearily, rubbing her forehead with a claw. "Because you're the only one who can save him." There was no question as to which "him" she meant. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think I liked him better when he was on _your_ side. At least then I could look forward to slaying him."

Rose's eyes softened at these words. "I'll do everything I can." she said, "but- wait, if you're trying to help me, then that dart you shot me with is- ?"

"No." said Chang, "That dart was the real thing. I couldn't risk using a fake, the Dark Dragon would have known it. Your powers will remain inactive for another 30 minutes." She gave Rose a sly smirk. "Try to stay alive until then, won't you?"

Rose couldn't help but give her own sly grin at this. "I'll try my best."

She turned away to leave, but Chang said, "Huntsgirl!"

Rose whirled around, to see her staff flying in an arc towards her. She leaped and skillfully caught it mid-air before landing graceful back on her feet.

Chang rolled her eyes. "Showoff." she muttered. Then she added seriously, "Don't think this changes anything between us. Once things are back to normal, you are_ mine_."

The slayer gave a playful smile as she replied, "I wouldn't have it any other way."

This time Chang turned to leave, but as she did so, she looked back over her shoulder and said, "Oh, and Huntgirl," Her eye twitched in what Rose could have sworn was a wink. "make sure you give him an extra kick for me."

And with that, Chang was gone.

* * *

Author's Notes: OK guys, I know I haven't updated this in **FOREVER** and that this chapter is time skipping. :( But to be honest, I have no idea what else to do with it, and I'm tired of this juat sitting on my computer while I can't get myself to write what happens in between this chapter and the last one. :(

But the other reason for posting this is because I have news to share and I don't want to just post another "chapter" of author's notes to bore you with. Here's the news, which can be found in full at my Bio page, along with two new stories there for you:

Good news! I haven't forgotten my fics and you readers! Even better news: I now have my Associate's Degree in Liberal Arts English! :D

Bad news: I seem to have lost the inspiration to finish my ADJL stories, including "Disney's Capture". :( So for now I've gone back to working on "original fiction" short stories and that darn novel (now a series) in the hopes of finishing them for future sale. I'm also branching into a new fandom to see if that will help with my writing.

As for the two new stories:

An AmDrag Christmas (oneshot): s/8995386/1/An-AmDrag-Christmas

Daring Do and the Order of the Eagle (the "new fandom" chapter story to help with my writing): s/9002086/1/Daring-Do-and-the-Order-of-the-Eagle


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